The final hurdle for holding assembly elections in Karnataka has been cleared with President Prathibha Patil giving her nod for the delimitation of constituencies.
Now that the report has been cleared, 85 assembly segments in Karnataka will pave the way for new constituencies.
The Union Cabinet had sent the delimitation commission report to the President for her assent. The report contained the recommendations of the commission headed by Justice Kuldeep Singh.
What does the delimitation of constituencies imply for Karnataka? Schedule Tribes in the state would have better representation as the number of constituencies for the STs goes up from 2 to 15. The Schedules Castes will also have three more constituencies at the state level. While SCs will have four constituencies reserved for them in the Lok Sabha polls, the STS will have two constituencies.
Meanwhile, the delimitation exercise has again put a question mark on the likely date of the assembly polls in Karnataka. Earlier, it was speculated that Karnataka would go to polls either in April or in May.
However, sources now indicate that elections may be postponed till November. The BJP has been accusing the Congress of using delaying tactics in the state, after their defeat in the Gujarat election. BJP leaders have even threatened to move court if the elections are not held by April.
The Congress puts the onus on the Centre, saying only the central government can decide when the polls should be held in Karnataka.
The Congress is going for a major makeover in the state, with former Janata Dal-Secular strongman M P Prakash being inducted into the party on February 27.