Karnataka is likely to go to polls on May 20 and 23 in a two-phase election to the Assembly, according to tentative dates discussed informally by the election commission, sources said.

Counting of votes is likely to take place on May 27. The term of the present assembly, led by chief minister Jagadish Shettar, gets over on June 3.

According to a source, the full bench of election commission is slated to meet in the first week of March, with official announcement of the poll schedule likely by March 10.

In his presentation before the deputy EC in Delhi, the chief electoral officer of Karnataka is believed to have stated a pending case in Supreme Court on state civic polls might come up for hearing now. The other parameters for holding elections — such as monsoon festivals and school examinations — were also considered, offering May 20 onward as the available window, sources with knowledge of the development said.

There is a possibility of another window in the last week of May but the EC is focussing on completing the poll process before the end of May, it is learnt.