2,120 out of 2,613 candidates lost their deposits

Bengaluru: More than 2120 assembly election candidates lost their deposits in the recently concluded election including former revenue minister R Ashok. Around 2,613 candidates contested in state election this time. Though Congress crushed the BJP and the JD(S) party, 12 candidates lost deposits. So many candidates have lost their deposits and suffered a crushing defeat. Many JDS, BJP and Congress party candidates have lost their deposits. R Ashok, who was then revenue minister lost deposit in Kanakapura assembly constituency.

Every candidate contesting the assembly election has to pay the security deposit amount to the Constituency Returning Officer at the time of submission of nomination paper. The depost amount is Rs 10,000 per candidate and it is Rs 5000 for Scheduled Community candidates. A candidate must secure more than 1/6th of the total eligible votes cast in the constituency from which he is contesting to save deposit. If he gets less than 1/6 of the votes, his deposit will be forfeited by the Election Commission. If a candidate's election deposit is forfeited, it means that he has been completely rejected by the people of the constituency.

This election has given many surprises and shocks. Around 2,613 candidates have contested in the election arena this time. Out of that BJP fielded 224 candidates, Congress 223 and JDS 207 candidates. 918 independents and 685 candidates from registered parties also contested. Out of these, around 2,389 candidates have been defeated. In this, about 2,120 candidates have seen a crushing defeat and lost deposits.

A total of 207 candidates have contested in JDS, out of which only 19 candidates have been able to win. Another 136 JD(S) candidates have lost their deposits due to crushing defeat. JDS leader Y.S.V. Dutta who contested from Kadur constituency lost his deposit by getting only 26,837 votes. JDS candidate Ayanur Manjunath lost his deposit in Shimoga.

BJP had fielded 224 candidates. Out of these 66 candidates won while the rest lost. Out of these 31 candidates have lost their deposit. Among these, R. Ashok, who contested against DK Shiva Kumar in Kanakapura, lost his deposit and suffered a crushing defeat. R.Ashok managed to get only 19,753 votes . Among the candidates of the Congress party who won a landslide victory with another 135 seats, around 12 candidates have seen a crushing defeat. Even in the midst of Congress tsunami across state 12 candidates failed to save their deposits.

During 2018 assembly election 1146 candidates lost their deposits. A total of 2,892 candidates contested in 224 constituencies in the 2018 elections. Out of this, 1,146 candidates lost their deposit and suffered a crushing defeat. In 2018, BJP won 104 candidates out of 224 candidates. However, 39 BJP candidates lost their deposits and had to suffer a crushing defeat. Out of the 223 candidates contested by the Congress party, 80 candidates won. Deposits of 13 candidates had been forfeited.