Karnataka Cong MLA Vinay Kulkarni disqualified after conviction

Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni has been disqualified from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly following his conviction by a Bengaluru sessions court in a criminal case.The order, issued officially by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretariat, confirms that his disqualification is effective from April 15, 2026. According to the official communication from the Assembly Secretary, Kulkarni ceases to hold office as an MLA from the date of his conviction, April 15. As a result, the Dharwad Assembly seat has now fallen vacant.

Kulkarni, who represented the Dharwad constituency in the Assembly, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Special Court for MPs and MLAs in Bengaluru. The conviction automatically triggered disqualification under Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution of India, along with provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The case relates to the murder of Yogesh Gowda, in which Kulkarni was found guilty after legal proceedings. With this development, the focus now shifts to the vacancy created in the Assembly and the potential political implications in the Dharwad region.

(State Correspomdent)