| Insignia: | Seal of Karnataka.svg |
| Insigniasize: | 180 |
| Insigniacaption: | Emblem of Government of Karnataka |
| Post: | Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಉಪ ಮುಖ್ಯಮಂತ್ರಿ |
| Style: | The Honourable (Formal) Mr. Deputy Chief Minister (Informal) |
| Type: | Deputy Head of Government |
| Status: | Deputy Leader of the Executive |
| Abbreviation: | Dy CM |
| Incumbent: | Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar |
| Incumbentsince: | 20 May 2023 |
| Department: | Government of Karnataka |
| Reportsto: | |
| Seat: | Vidhana Soudha |
| Residence: | 253/A, 18th Cross Rd, Bangalore |
| Termlength: | At the confidence of the assembly |
| Termlength Qualified: | Deputy Chief minister's term is for 5 years and is subject to no term limits. |
| Appointer: | Governor of Karnataka on the advice of the Chief Minister of Karnataka |
| Inaugural: | S. M. Krishna |
| Nominator: | Members of the Government of Karnataka in Karnataka Legislative Assembly |
| Salary: |
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| Website: | Official website |
| Native Name: | Karnāṭakada Upa Mukhya Mantri |
The Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka is a member of the Cabinet in the Government of Karnataka. Not technically a constitutional office,[1] it seldom carries any specific powers. A deputy Chief minister usually also holds a key cabinet portfolio such as home minister or finance minister. In the parliamentary system of government, According to the Constitution of India, the Governor is Karnataka's de jure head, but de facto executive authority rests with its Chief Minister;[2] [3] the position of Deputy Chief Minister is used to bring political stability and strength within a coalition government or in times of Hung Assembly, when a proper chain of command is necessary[4]
The first Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka was S. M. Krishna,[5] in M. Veerappa Moily's cabinet in 1992. The office has since been only intermittently occupied. The former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is the Longest serving Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, who held the Post on Two Occasions. Once during the Chief Minister-ship of J. H. Patel and another time when Dharam Singh was the Chief Minister. R. Ashoka and Eshwarappa were Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, who took on the role when Jagadish Shettar was the Chief Minister.[6] When H. D. Kumaraswamy formed Government in 2018, G. Parameshwara was sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister. After which when B.S. Yeddyurappa formed Government in 2019, three Deputy Chief Ministers were sworn-in, C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Govind Karjol and Laxman Savadi. For the first Karnataka witnessed 3 Deputy Chief Ministers in office at the same time.
Many times there arose a proposal to make this post permanent, but nothing happened.
So far, Karnataka has witnessed 11 Deputy Chief Ministers in 9 Terms; meanwhile, Siddaramaiah held the position twice.