Update: The article was updated to reflect the correct last date for voter registration. It was mentioned as May 22, but it is in fact May 15, and the applications are processed by May 22.

The Election Commission of India on May 12, 2018, has issued directions to conduct elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council, for the period which ends on 21.6.2018 from the Teachers’ and Graduates’ Constituencies as below:

The calendar of events is as under:

1. the 22nd May, 2018 (Tuesday), as the last date for making nominations;
2. the 23rd May, 2018 (Wednesday), as the date for scrutiny of nominations;
3. the 25th May, 2018 (Friday), as the last date for the withdrawal of candidatures;
4. the 8th June, 2018 (Friday), as the date on which a poll shall, if necessary, be taken; and
5. the 15th June, 2018 (Friday), as the date before which the election shall be completed;

Hours of polling: 8 am to 4 pm.

Enrollment procedure:   

Graduate Constituencies:

Qualifications/eligibility: The eligibility of a person for enrolment in a Graduates’ Constituency is to be determined having regard to provision of Article 171(3)(a) of the Constitution and Section 27(3)(a), 27(5)(a) and 27(6) of the RP Act, 1950. Accordingly, a person who has been for at least three years before the qualifying date, a graduate of any University in the territory of India or has been in possession of equivalent qualifications as prescribed and is ordinarily resident of the concerned constituency is entitled to be registered as an elector in a Graduates’ Constituency.

The qualifying date was 1 November 2017, in which the preparation or revision of the electoral roll is commenced. You can enroll yourself now, if you haven’t already. There were only 45,340 graduates registered for entire Bengaluru region, including Bangalore Rural, Urban, South and North, the population of which together is nearly 1.5 crores!

Know more about Graduates Constituency election.

Fill Form 18 and have the following ready:

1) 2 Passport size color photos
2) An attested copy of your degree certificate or consolidated marks card
3) Address proof, any one out of Adhaar Card, Voter ID, Driver’s License, Passport

Submit the completed forms to specified officers, on or before May 15, 2018. Find out who your officer is, by calling BBMP or Election Commission, since there is no public information on this.

Check your name on the roll here manually, or here.

Teachers’ Constituency:

Eligibility/qualification According to Section 27(5) (b) of Representation of the People Act, 1950, a person must fulfil the following conditions for being entitled to be registered in electoral roll of a Teachers’ Constituency.

– Should be an ordinary resident in the Teachers’ Constituency

– Within the six years immediately before the qualifying date, for a total period of at least three years, should have been engaged in teaching in any of the educational institutions specified under clause (b) of sub-section (3) of Section 27 of Representation of the People Act, 1950 by the State Government concerned with the concurrence of the Election Commission, as educational institutions within the State not lower in standard than that of a secondary school.

The qualifying date was 1st day of November 2017, in which the preparation or revision of the electoral roll is commenced.

SCHEDULE FOR PREPARATION OF ELECTORAL ROLLS FOR GRADUATES’ AND TEACHERS’ CONSTITUENCIES

The total graduates enrolled is 1,85,306  electors for all the three Graduates’ constituencies and 56,923 electors enrolled for all the Teachers’ constituencies. As per the Representation of People Act, there is a provision for enrollment of voters up to the last date of filing nominations i.e., 22nd May, 2018. If you haven’t enrolled you can now go and enroll yourself.

Conduct of Elections:

The Regional Commissioners Mysore, Bengaluru and Gulbarga are the designated Returning Officers and the respective Deputy Commissioners of the districts are the designated Assistant Returning Officers for the ensuing elections to conduct the elections for both Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies in their respective area of jurisdiction.

Method:

The Biennial Election to the Legislative Council from the Graduates’ and Teachers’ constituencies will be conducted on the single transferable preferential voting system.

The Poll Day statistics pertaining to these elections held in the year 2012 is as under:

Model Code of Conduct:

As per the directions of the Election Commission of India vide letter No. 322/ECI/INST/FUNC/BIEN-LC/2016, dated: 26.12.2016, the Model Code of Conduct comes into force from 12th May, 2018 in the areas of all the Constituencies.