Second phase of Karnataka Gram Panchayat elections to be held tomorrow

A total of 2,709 panchayats of

109 taluks in Karnataka will go for voting in the second phase of Gram Panchayat elections on Sunday, poll officials said.

There are 1,05,431 candidates in the fray for 39,378 seats.

Polling will be held from 7 am to 5 pm in over 20,728 booths.

A total of 3,697 candidates have been elected unopposed already, officials said.

The election is happening amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and those who have tested positive or under primary/secondary contacts can vote in the last hour of polling, they said.

Elaborate security and COVID related precautionary measures have been made for the voting, they said, adding that wearing masks and maintaining social distancing is mandatory.

Hand sanitisers will be available in polling booths.

The number of voters in each booth has been reduced from 1,500 to 1,000.

Anganwadi, ASHA workers and Health Department officials have been roped in for poll duty.

Though these polls don't take place on party symbols,all political parties have put in efforts to ensure that the candidate supported by them wins, so as to have their hold on grassroot level politics, which may prove advantageous for them in taluk or zilla panchayat and even assembly polls whenever it happens.

Polling for 3,019 panchayats in 117 taluks were held in the first phase on December 22, and the counting for both phases will take place on December 30.