Bengaluru, India – May 2, 2026: The Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretariat issued an official notification today disqualifying Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni from the House. The move follows Kulkarni’s conviction by a special sessions court in Bengaluru in a long-standing criminal case.
Representing the Dharwad constituency, Kulkarni's disqualification is effective from April 15, the date of his conviction, as per Article 191(1)(e) of the Indian Constitution and Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The secretariat confirmed that the Dharwad Assembly seat is now officially vacant. Under the law, Kulkarni remains disqualified from contesting elections for the duration of his sentence plus an additional six years following his release, unless a higher court stays the conviction. The Congress party has not yet announced its strategy for the upcoming by-election necessitated by this vacancy.
