Bengaluru: Elections Commission of India has announced biennial elections for 25 seats to the Legislative Council on December 10, 2021.

Twenty-five members tenure will end on January 5, 2022, The elections will be held to the Council from local bodies, elections will be held as per guidelines of Covid-19, the Elections Commission said.

Soon after elections commissions announced the calendar of events, the political activities in ruling BJP, Congress and JD(S) geared up, the ruling BJP held a core committee meeting on Tuesday evening to finalize the candidates. From each local bodies, three candidates have been shortlisted and the same will be sent to the party central elections committee for ratification, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

Out of 25 seats, if  BJP wins maximum seats, then only it gets a majority in the Upper House, at present ruling party is in minority, with help of JD(S) it has enable to get pass through crucial bills in the House.

The present strength in the Upper House is BJP 33 (including one independent), Congress-29 and JD(S) 12. To attain majority in the Upper House, BJP needs 38 seats, excluding Chairman post.

Flour leader and Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivasa Poojari, Legislative Council deputy chairman M.K. Pranesh, Opposition leader S.R. Patil, opposition whip, M. Narayanaswamy and Chief Whip of the government, Mahantesh Kavatagimat are prominent leaders will face the council elections from local bodies. To retain their respective posts, these leaders has to win in the elections.

In last elections, BJP won 7 seats out 25 seats, this time it has held back to back meeting with its cadres to win maximum seats to get the majority in the House at its own.

Elections notifications will be issued on November 1, the last date of filing nomination is November 23, nominations scrutiny will be held on November 24  and November 26 will be the last date to withdraw the nominations. Elections will be held on December 10 and counting will be held on December 14.

Sitting members of Zilla Panchayats, Taluk Panchayats, Grama Panchayats and other local bodies members are eligible to cast vote in the elections. The eligible voters' list will be published in a day or two by the Elections Commission. Elections Commission has asked respective deputy commissioners to furnish the final list of electoral list, said Manojkumar Meena, Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka.

Members terms in local bodies and Panchayats are already over, they are not eligible to cast their votes, the elections commission has clarified. Since tenure of 198 BBMP members, 3285 taluk panchayat members, 1191 ZP members ended, they cannot eligible to cast their votes.

Among 25 seats that are going to vacate on January 5, Congress-13, BJP-6 and JD(S) 5 members in the Council.