Bengaluru: The Election Commission on Sunday announced that the by-elections for the vacant Davanagere South and Bagalkote assembly constituencies in Karnataka will be held on April 9.

According to the official schedule, the counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar released the poll schedule in New Delhi.

The bypolls were necessitated following the deaths of sitting Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, which resulted in vacancies in the Davanagere South and Bagalkote Assembly segments respectively.

Shivashankarappa, a senior Congress leader and former minister, represented the Davanagere South constituency, while Meti, also a former minister, had been elected from Bagalkote. Both leaders had won their seats in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections.

With the seats falling vacant after their demise, the poll panel decided to hold by-elections in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act.

The bypolls are likely to witness a keen contest, with the ruling Congress aiming to retain both constituencies while opposition parties prepare to mount a strong challenge.