Karnataka Speaker, Council Chair polls: G.S. Patil, Salim Ahmed file nominations
Synopsis
Karnataka's Congress government moved swiftly to fill both legislative presiding officer posts on 13 August, with MLA G.S. Patil and MLC Salim Ahmed filing nominations for Speaker and Council Chairman respectively. The process is shadowed by former Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti's allegation that he was forced to resign before he was ready — a claim that adds rare political turbulence to what is usually a formality.
Key Takeaways
Patil filed his nomination for Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker on 13 August at the Vidhana Soudha , Bengaluru.
Congress MLC Salim Ahmed filed his nomination for Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman on the same day.
Elections to both posts are scheduled for 14 August .
Former Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti alleged he was compelled to resign before his chosen date and has received no confirmation from the Governor that his resignation was accepted.
BJP MLCs held a meeting under Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy to strategise ahead of the Council Chairman election.
Horatti has served in the Karnataka legislature for 46 years .
Congress MLA G.S. Patil on Thursday, 13 August filed his nomination for the post of Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, in the presence of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Shortly after, Congress MLC Salim Ahmed submitted his nomination for the post of Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman, with the election to both posts scheduled for Friday, 14 August.
Nominations Filed
Patil submitted his papers at the office of Assembly Secretary Vishalakshi. Senior party leaders including Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, Minister K.H. Muniyappa, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and MLC B.K. Hariprasad, and former Minister H.K. Patil were present at the filing.
Ahmed filed his nomination at the Legislative Council Secretary's office, also in the presence of Chief Minister Shivakumar. Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah, KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad, Vinay Karthik, and Nagaraj Yadav attended the occasion.
BJP Caucuses Ahead of Council Election
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLCs convened a meeting under the leadership of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, to discuss the upcoming Council Chairman election and related developments. The BJP's strategy ahead of Friday's vote was the primary agenda of the closed-door session.
Outgoing Chairman Horatti Speaks Out
Former Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti broke his silence, alleging he was compelled to sign his resignation letter without being given the opportunity to step down on his own terms. Horatti said he had not received any formal communication from the Governor confirming whether his resignation had been accepted.
'I have conveyed everything to the Governor in this regard. The Governor has not given me any intimation. He has not stated whether I have been relieved or whether my resignation has been accepted. As far as I know, if I have been appointed as the pro tem Chairman, it means my resignation has been accepted,' Horatti said.
Horatti, who has served in the House for 46 years, said he was deeply hurt by the state government's handling of the matter. He maintained that he had reached an understanding with Chief Minister Shivakumar on the timing of his resignation — specifically, that he would tender it on 14 August after being allowed to address the House and express his gratitude.
'What I had discussed with the Chief Minister was that on August 13, we would complete the obituary references and on August 14, the Vice Chairman would be elected. I had said that on that day, I would get an opportunity to convey my gratitude. I had told him that after expressing my gratitude on that day, I would tender my resignation. I had also made an announcement to this effect,' he said.
What Happens Next
With nominations in place, the Karnataka legislature is set to elect its new Speaker and Council Chairman on 14 August. The Congress government, which holds a comfortable majority in the Assembly, is widely expected to see its nominees prevail. Horatti's public remarks, however, have added a layer of political friction to what is typically a procedural exercise, and the BJP's opposition caucus signals the party intends to contest the Council election actively.
Point of View
It sets an uncomfortable precedent for how Karnataka's Congress leadership handles figures it no longer needs.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has filed nominations for the Karnataka Speaker and Council Chairman posts?
Congress MLA G.S. Patil filed his nomination for Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker, and Congress MLC Salim Ahmed filed his nomination for Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman, both on 13 August in Bengaluru.
When will the Karnataka Speaker and Council Chairman elections be held?
The elections for both posts are scheduled for Friday, 14 August, at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
Why did former Karnataka Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti speak out?
Horatti alleged that he was compelled to sign his resignation letter before he was ready, without being given the opportunity to resign on his own terms. He said he had an understanding with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to resign on 14 August after addressing the House, but that agreement was not honoured.
Has Horatti's resignation been formally accepted by the Governor?
As of 13 August, Horatti said he had received no formal communication from the Governor confirming whether his resignation had been accepted or whether he had been relieved of his post.
What is the BJP's position on the Karnataka Council Chairman election?
BJP MLCs met under Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy ahead of the vote to discuss their strategy. The BJP appears to be contesting the Council Chairman election rather than abstaining.
