Bengaluru: Karnataka bypolls to 15 Assembly seats have been deferred after the Election Commission agreed to do so. The decision was taken as the hearing of petitions challenging the disqualifications of Karnataka MLAs is still pending.

Earlier, EC had declared bypolls to 15 constituencies of the 17 Assembly seats in Karnataka. Election was scheduled to be held on October 21. The Election Commission had also asked the Supreme Court to allow the 15 disqualified MLAs to contest this election. Counting was scheduled on October 24.

Karnataka bypolls were declared as 17 MLAs rebelled against Congress and JD(S) party and resigned from their posts as legislators. They were expelled and disqualified by the concerned parties. Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar disqualified 17 members including 13 from Congress, 3 from JDS and one independent under Anti-Defection Law.

15 constituencies that will go to bypolls are Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapur, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagara, Chikkaballapura, K R Pura, Yeshvanthapura, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagar, Hosakote, Krishnarajpet and Hunsur.

Meanwhile, the disqualified MLAs have filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking overturn of the disqualification order.