By IANS
New Delhi : The Election Commission is likely to hold elections in Karnataka before the May 28 deadline, when six months of President’s Rule in the state expires, official sources said Thursday.
The poll panel held a meeting Thursday and decided to hold the polls before May 28. The state was placed under central rule on Nov 20 last year.
The three election commissioners visited the state on March 4 to take stock of the situation. The panel got an encouraging response from all the district magistrates during a meeting.
Though the commission had earlier deferred announcement of the poll schedule, the sources said it might be held in three phases.
Poll panel officials in Karnataka have assured the Election Commission that elections under the redrawn boundaries of the Delimitation Commission can be held by May.
The state, having 224 assembly constituencies, was placed under President’s Rule when Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy withdrew support to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Y.S. Yediyurappa.
The much-discussed Rule 24 of the Representation of Peoples Act will be invoked to hold elections. The rule gives special powers to the poll panel to expedite elections in a state.