The Election Commission on Wednesday fixed May 10 as the date for voting in the Karnataka assembly elections which will pave the way for the formation of the new government. The counting of votes will take place on May 13 and the results will be declared on the same day.

The announcement comes as the electoral battle between the ruling BJP and its arch rivals the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) is heating up in the state.

Addressing a news conference, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said the elections have been scheduled on a Wednesday, and not on a Monday or Friday, to encourage greater participation of voters and discourage them from leaving town for a long weekend holiday.

“There are 224 Assembly constituencies of which 36 are reserved for the SCs and 15 for the STs. The total electorates in the state are 5,21,73,579 crores of which males are 2.62 crores and females are 2.59 crores. The total number of 80 plus electors is 12.15 lakhs. It is an increase of 32 per cent from 2018. It also includes 16,976 proud electors who are 100 plus.

He said that the first-time voters have increased from 2018-19 by 9.17 lakhs in Karnataka.

“All young voters who are turning 18 years of age by April 1, will be able to vote in the Karnataka Assembly elections,” Kumar added.

He also informed that over 58,000 polling stations would be set up across the state and special security measures are being taken for the booths that have been identified as sensitive.

Currently the bJP government in the state is headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai who is backed by the party’s 119 MLAs. The Congress has 75 and its ally JD(S) has 28 seats in the outgoing assembly.