Karnataka election 2018 dates announced highlights: Election Commission sets up panel to probe poll date leak issue

Election Commission's probe committee to submit report in seven days

The Election Commission of India announced on Tuesday evening that it has set up a panel to investigate the leak of Karnataka election dates. The committee will submit its report in seven days and due action will be taken against those found guilty after that.

ECI sets up probe panel to investigate poll date leak issue

Resurgent Siddaramaiah pinches BS Yeddyurappa, BJP through smart online avatar

Siddaramaiah did not let go of this momentary lapse to score brownie points. His Twitter handle put out the video, with the line "The #ShahofLies finally speaks truth" cleverly editing the bit where Shah corrects his mistake.

Siddaramaiah govt is the most corrupt govt and its days are now numbered: Amit Shah

Congress doesn't expect "too much" of electoral gain on Lingayat issue, says Karnataka PCC chief

Twitter war erupts after Rahul Gandhi mocks Amit Shah for slip of tongu

The BJP's Karnataka unit has taken to twitter to slam Rahul Gandhi for latching on to the mistake made by Amit Shah. The party tweeted a compilation video of all the times Siddaramaiah has misspoken in the past. They put out another video of former Congress president Sonia Gandhi as well. 

EC to use VVPATs at all electronic voting machines in Karnataka

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Looking at the controversy that surrounded the veracity of EVMs in the past, the Election Commission of India announced that all electronic voting machines will be equipped with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines. 

BJP IT cell chief quotes Time Now in his defence for breaking poll dates before EC

Here's the copy of Amit Malviya's letter to Election Commission

Image Courtesy: Twitter @BJP4India

Recap: Important dates for Karnataka Elections

17 April, 2018: Issue of notification
24 April, 2018: Last date of nomination
25 April, 2018: Date of scrutiny
27 April, 2018: Last date of withdrawal of candidates
12 May, 2018: Date of Polling
15 May, 2018: Counting of votes

Amit Malviya writes to Election Commission, blames TV channel 

BJP's IT cell head Amit malviya has written to the Election Commission seeking to clarify his tweet that predicted poll dates before formal announcement. He said that he sourced the information from a TV channel's reportage and said a Congress staffer also put out a tweet at the same time. 

Rajnath Singh says BJP will win Karnataka polls

"BJP will get clear majority in the upcoming elections in Karnataka. No divisive politics will work this time," Rajnath Singh told reporters outside Parliament. 

Now Rahul Gandhi mocks Amit Shah's slip of tongue

Amit Malviya tweeted election dates last evening as well: Reports

The controversy over Amit Malviya's tweet announcing (wrong) election dates before the poll panel did so refuses to die down, even as BJP claimed that the information was sourced from Times Now TV channel.

However, what the party could not explain was a similar tweet by Malviya that was posted on Mondya night. According to India Today, the party's national IT cell chief had put out a similar tweet announcing election dates last night as well, but it was promptly withdrawn. The TV channel also reported that a Kannada channel, owned by a BJP MP, also had the same information. 

Firstpost could not independently verify this information but prominent journalists have tweeted about this. 

BJP claims Amit Malviya's tweet was sourced from TV channel, says party had no intention to undermine EC's authority

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi met the Election Commission and said that the party had no intentions to undermine the poll panel's authority. He said that a Congress staffer has also tweeted at the same time and the information in the tweet was sourced from Times Now. 

BJP delegation reaches at EC office in connection with controversy over Amit Malviya's tweet

Both BJP, Congress staffers tweeted (wrong) poll dates before EC announcements

The fact that BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted out the Karnataka election dates was widely reported and the party got trolled for it. However, as The Print journalist Ruhi Tewari pointed out, a Karnataka Congress staffer also tweeted out the election dates at the same time as Malviya. 

Incidentally, both him and Malviya got the polling date right but missed the counting date. 

Siddaramaiah latches on to Amit Shah's blooper, calls mistake 'moment of truth'

Meanwhile... Amit Shah mistakenly calls BS Yeddyurappa corrupt

Amit Shah, while speaking to reporters, mistakenly called BS Yeddyurappa corrupt, while he perhaps meant Siddaramaiah. "I am not saying this, a retired Supreme Court judge has said this that Yeddyurappa government is the most corrupt government," Shah accidentally said before someone promptly corrected him and he amended his statement. 

However, the damage was already done it seems as the Congress party was quick to latch on to the blooper as they termed the mistake Amit Shah's moment of truth. 

BJP leaders to meet poll panel after controversy over Amit malviya's tweet

After a controversy erupted over BJP's national IT cell head Amit Malviya's tweet, BJP leaders are going to meet the poll panel shortly. Malviya had tweeted about the dates of the Karnataka Assembly election before the Election Commission announced it through a press conference.

Congress stormed to power in 2013 with 122 seats

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly comprises two Houses, a Lower House, and an Upper House. The Lower House is the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) and the Upper House is called the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad). The Assembly is bicameral with 224 seats.

BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya tweets Karnataka poll dates before EC announcement, faces flak

BJP's national Information and Technology cell head Amit Malviya landed the saffron party in a controversy on Tuesday when he tweeted about the dates of the Karnataka Assembly election before the Election Commission announced it through a press conference.

Even though Malviya seems to have deleted the tweet now, journalists questioned Malviya on how he got to know about the Karnataka poll dates before the Election Commission announced them.

Here's the full poll schedule as announced by Election Commission

Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat announced the poll schedule while addressing the media on Tuesday afternoon.

Karnataka is one of only three states to be ruled by the Congress, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), fresh from victory in Tripura last month, has been targeting the South Indian state aggressively. Karnataka has traditionally voted anti-incumbency, and if the Congress government of Siddaramaiah does manage to win, it would be the first time in nearly two decades that a party has bucked anti-incumbency to retain power.

Karnataka to vote on 12 May, counting of votes on 15 May: All you need to know about these elections

Certain things may have leaked for which Election Commission will take appropriate action: Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat 

After journalists questioned the Chief Election Commissioner on Amit Malaviya's tweet, CEC Rawat said it will be investigated. "Be assured that actions legally and administratively befitting will be taken," Rawat said. Journalists questioned how BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya had the dates of Karnataka elections on social media even before the official announcement.

Amit Shah slams Siddarmaiah govt over farmers issue

Amit Malaviya 'guesses' Karnataka poll dates at least 40 minutes before Election Commission announces them

Journalists question CEC over Amit Malaviya's tweet

After journalists questioned CEC regarding Amit Malviya's tweet stating the date of voting as 12 May and date of counting as 18 May , Om Prakash Rawat said that the matter will "definitely be investigated" and strict action will be taken.

Important dates for Karnataka Assembly Election 2018

17 April, 2018: Issue of notification 
24 April, 2018: Last date of nomination
25 April, 2018: Date of scrutiny 
27 April, 2018: Last date of withdrawal of candidates
12 May, 2018: Date of Polling
15 May, 2018: Counting of votes

No ceiling on expenditure for political parties, says Election Commission

CEC Rawat said per candidate has been allotted Rs 28 lakh for expenditure. "I urge my media friends to ensure that any wrongdoings or aberrations are highlighted," Rawat said.

Model Code of Conduct will come into effect immediately, says CEC

Model Code of Conduct for the elections will come into effect immediately. Eco-friendly material should be used for all propaganda exercise. Use of loud speakers will be regulated so that people can sleep at night. Loud speakers won't be allowed from 10 pm to 6 am, says CEC Om Prakash Rawat.

Commission has decided to deploy CRPF to ensure people refrain from indulging in violent activities: CEC

VVPAT will be there for all EVMs in this election: CEC Om Prakash Rawat

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Accessible polls is the theme for Karnataka polls, Chief Election Commissioner Rawat said.

​Election Commission starts press conference

Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said that the total number of electorate in Karnataka is 4.96 crores. "Total number of polling stations in the state is 56,696 which is an increase of 9 percent from last Assembly elections," Rawat said. 

60 lakh new voters enrolled as new voters across Karnataka in February

In February, chief electoral officer had announced that nearly 60 lakh people have enrolled as new voters across Karnataka ahead of the 15th Assembly elections, due in early May.

"The number of new voters across the state has increased by 60 lakh, taking the total number of the electorate to 4.96 crore as per the tentative electoral rolls as against 4.36 crore voters in 2013 assembly elections," state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sanjiv Kumar said. According to the tentative electoral rolls, the number of male voters is 2.51 crore and female voters 2.44 crore.

"You stood by my grandmother during her toughest days: Rahul in Karnataka

Apart from continuing his temple visits, Rahul held two mega rallies, one in Indira Gandhi's old constituency Chikmagalur, and another in Hassan. In a hard hitting attack on the BJP, Rahul accused it of spreading violence, forming governments using money and dividing the country for the sake of power. He also lashed out at Modi, charging him with "insulting" the common man by claiming credit for the country's progress.

After Rahul, Amit Shah embarks on temple tour in Karnataka

Amit Shah's two-day Karnataka tour

The last Karnataka elections were held in the first week of May in 2013

The polls are being seen politically crucial for the ruling Congress as well as the BJP as it is the only big state where the former is in power after losing a string of assembly elections to the saffron party in the last few years.

Karnataka - one of the few states where the Congress is still in power

Karnataka is one of the few states where the Congress is in power. It is also the only state in south India where the BJP had been able to form a government.

Election Commission to announce Karnataka Assembly election dates at 11 am today