Mysore district machinery geared up for election

As Karnataka gears up for Sunday's elections to the Legislative Assembly, Mysore district administration is prepared for a smooth and peaceful conduct of elections in the 10 Assembly constituencies. Election in Periyapatna has been countermanded following the death of the BJP candidate and it will take place on May 28. Curtains came down on public canvassing at 5 pm on Friday while political parties made frenzied efforts to woo the voters. Polling will take place from 7 am to 5 pm on May 5.

Briefing reporters on the arrangements, Deputy Commissioner C Shikha said on Friday that door-to-door canvassing by a group of over five persons of any political party, contesting candidates, their agents and supporters is prohibited under the Election Commission directions and Section 144 Cr PC.

So far, FIR had been registered in 99 cases of 265 cases registered so far. Rs 28,12,250 in cash, Rs 92,500 worth materials and 1,374 litres of liquor had been seized in the district. Twenty-one paid news cases had been reported. In all, 7,107 persons engaged in the election work had cast their postal ballots. Those who have obtained postal ballot papers have been requested to cast their votes before 5 pm on May 7 in the respective election offices, she said. For the first time, Shikha said voter identity slips are being distributed to voters by the election staff.

Directions have been given to distribute the slips before tomorrow. However, those failing to get the slips can have the same from voters' assistance booths to be opened near the polling booths.

Around 1,139 vehicles, including 387 KSRTC buses, 145 vans, 329 light motor vehicles, 74 trucks, and 204 government vehicles have been hired for election work.

As many as 2,373 polling stations would be set up in the 10 constituencies of which 387 are identified as hyper sensitive, 805 as sensitive and the rest 1,181 as normal booths. A total of 5,424 election officials will man them.

Of these, 2,712 each will be presiding and assistant presiding officers.

Mustering and demustering centres have been identified in the 10 constituencies and the polling officers have been asked to proceed at 5.30 pm tomorrow from their respective taluks for which KSRTC buses are provided, the DC said.

She said, heavy police security will be provided at hyper sensitive and sensitive booths.

The polling process of selected 53 booths in these vulnerable booths will be webcast live for the first time. Micro-observers have been appointed to 775 vulnerable booths.

So far, she said five anti-social elements had been banished for a fortnight and nine have been directed to report to the respective jurisdictional police station twice a day.

Voters can produce any of the 23 documents as proof of identification at the time of voting, she added.