The Election Commission has announced the schedule for the Karnataka Assembly bypolls 2026, with voting set to take place in two constituencies, Bagalkot and Davanagere South. Polling will be held on April 9, while the counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on May 4.
The bypolls or Bye-elections are part of a wider round of Assembly by-elections being conducted across several states. However, in Karnataka, the electoral contest will be limited to these two constituencies, both of which have gained political attention ahead of the upcoming polls.
Why are the Bagalkot and Davanagere South seats going to bypolls
The by-elections in Karnataka have been necessitated after the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly seats fell vacant following the deaths of their sitting MLAs.
Bagalkot was represented by H.Y. Meti, a senior leader associated with the Congress party, while Davanagere South was represented by veteran politician Shamanur Shivashankarappa, one of the most prominent political figures in the region. With both seats becoming vacant, the Election Commission has scheduled fresh polls to ensure representation for the constituencies in the state Assembly.
Election Commission announces polling and counting dates
According to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the by-elections across multiple states will follow a phased schedule. For the Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, polling will take place on April 9. The Election Commission stated that the counting of votes for all the bypolls across states will be conducted on May 4, when the results will determine the winners in each constituency.
Election authorities are expected to begin the nomination process soon, followed by scrutiny of nominations and the withdrawal deadline as per the standard election timeline.
Political significance of the Karnataka bypolls
Although the bypolls involve only two Assembly seats, they are expected to draw significant political attention in the state. Both the ruling Congress and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are likely to field strong candidates in Bagalkot and Davanagere South. By-elections often serve as an indicator of the current political mood among voters, and parties will closely watch the outcome for signals ahead of future electoral contests in the state.
Campaigning in both constituencies is expected to intensify in the coming weeks, with parties focusing on local issues, development promises and organisational strength to secure victory.
Also read: Assembly Elections 2026 date announced for West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam
