The Election Commission of India, on the 29th of March, announced the schedule of the elections to the Karnataka State Assembly. In this article, you can read all about the upcoming Karnataka elections and also about elections to the state legislatures in general, for the IAS exam polity and governance segment.
2023 Karnataka Legislative Assembly Election
Image Source: The Hindu
- The tenure of the current Legislative Assembly in Karnataka is scheduled to end on May 24, 2023, as the previous assembly elections were held in May 2018.
- According to the announcement made by the Election Commission of India, the elections will be conducted on May 10, and the counting of votes will be taken up on May 13, 2023.
- There are 224 assembly constituencies in Karnataka with close to 5.21 crore electors with the number of male and female electors being almost equal.
- There are 12.15 lakh 80 years+ electors and they will get a postal ballot facility for the first time in the state.
- The state further has over 9 lakh first-time voters between the ages of 18 and 19 years.
- The major political parties contesting the Karnataka election 2023 are BJP, Congress, JD(S), and BSP.
Also read: Remote voting
Image Source: Election Commission of India
Facts about Elections to State Legislative Assemblies
- The Legislative Assembly is the popularly elected chamber and is the real centre of power in a state.
- The legislative assembly consists of representatives directly elected by the people on the basis of universal adult franchise.
- The elections to State Legislative Assemblies take place once in 5 years.
- The maximum strength of a Legislative Assembly should not exceed 500 or its minimum strength should not fall below 60.
- However, various States such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, etc. have been allowed to have smaller Legislative Assemblies.
- A person is said to be qualified to be elected to the Legislative Assembly of a state if he/she is:
- An Indian citizen
- Aged 25 years or above
- An elector for any Legislative Assembly constituency in that state according to the Representation of the People Act, 1951
- Must not hold any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any state other than that of a Minister for the Indian Union
- Of a sound mind
- Article 324 (1) of the Constitution vests the Election Commission of India with the powers of superintendence, direction and control of the elections to both Houses of the State Legislature.
- The first-past-the-post (FPTP) system also known as the simple majority system is used to declare the winner in the elections to the State Legislative Assemblies.
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Difference between Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council |
