Mysuru: The election to the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) will be held on Aug. 31. The State Election Commission last evening announced the date for the election to 65 wards under the MCC. The Commission declared the dates as the Karnataka High Court dismissed a petition questioning the delimitation and reservation of the wards.

The High Court yesterday refused to interfere with the delimitation of wards in Mysuru and Tumakuru City Corporations, and the reservation of wards in Shivamogga and Mysuru Corporations and thus cleared the way for the Election Commission to hold elections.

Justice B. Veerappa passed the order while dismissing two batches of writ petitions. One related to the delimitation of wards and the other on reservation of certain wards to some categories of castes. While dismissing petitions, the Court held that the petitioners have not made out a case to interfere with the impugned delimitation notifications as they approached the Court at the last minute and the elections have to be completed on or before September 5, 2018 as per the Constitutional mandate.

With the announcement of the elections, the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect immediately. As per the order, the poll notification will be issued on Aug. 13 and the last date for candidates to file their nomination papers is Aug. 20. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on Aug. 21 and the last date for withdrawal is Aug. 23. Voting will take place from 7 am to 5 pm on Aug. 31. And if there is a necessity of re-voting, it will be done on Sept. 2. The counting of votes is on Sept.3 from 8 am.

For the first time, the Election Commission has given permission to introduce NOTA (None of the above) option in the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections.

With the announcement of election, it will be a litmus test for the JD(S)-Congress coalition government in Karnataka. The election is being seen not just as an indicator of public perception about the Kumaraswamy Government, but a tough test of bonding between Congress and JD(S) ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The first challenge will be to identify the candidates from the parties. Problem is bound to arise where both the Congress and JD(S) are strong. Already, there is stiff competition between the party workers of Congress and JD(S) to wrest as many seats as possible from each other.

Though the coalition partners are yet to decide on forging an electoral tie-up, Congress leaders, from the grassroot level to many Ministers, have conveyed their opposition to it. If coalition partners fail to arrive at an understanding, it will spoil the newly-found-harmony of party leaders in Old Mysuru region.

According to sources, many Congress Ministers wanted the party to go alone in the ULB polls. Most of the district and taluk unit heads of Congress have already conveyed their opposition to any tie-up with JD(S) for these polls.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

• Notification on Aug. 13
• Polling on Aug. 31
• Counting on Sept. 3
• Filing of nominations begins on Aug. 13
• Last date for filing nominations on Aug. 20
• Scrutiny of nominations on Aug. 21
• Last date for withdrawal of nominations on Aug. 23
• Re-polling, if necessary, will be held on Sept. 2