Karnataka all set for polling on Thursday

As many as 434 candidates are in the fray for the 28 constituencies in the state of which 11 constituencies have more than 16 candidates each. A total of 21 women candidates are contesting this time. Bangalore Central has a maximum of 25 candidates and Gulbarga (SC) has the least number of five candidates in the contest.

Among the political parties, only BJP, the Congress and BSP have fielded candidates in all the 28 constituencies, while the JD(S) is contesting from 25 constituencies. The CPI has three, CPM two and NCP has only one candidate in the fray. There are 195 independents in the contest. (FACTS AT A GLANCE: KARNATAKA)

Bangalore North parliamentary constituency is the largest constituency, while Udupi-Chikmagalur is the smallest in terms of the total electors.

What is VVPAT?

The purpose of the VVPAT — Voter Verifiable Paper Trail is to print the selection of the voter on a printer to physically verify the vote cast. The vote cast will be displayed on a transparent window for the voter to verify the vote cast. The candidate serial number and the symbol voted for will be displayed on the transparent window and the slip will automatically cut and fall in the sealed box. The system consists of three components such as Printer Assembly, Display Unit for display and the system also includes accessories like Symbol Loading Unit to load the names and the Candidate Number to the VVPAT. The VVPAT Printer Assembly is connected between the Control Unit and Ballot Unit of the EVM. The printed slip displays the candidate number, symbol and name of the candidate and an OMR reading for counting on a 2 inch thermal paper. The print of the slip taken about 3 seconds and the paper stays behind the transparent window for 5 seconds. After the display of the printed slip, it gets cut and falls into a sealed box.

For the first time, the commission will use the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine in all 1,025 polling booths in Bangalore South constituency on an experimental basis. The machine is also being used in six other constituencies across the country. VVPAT machine will enable a voter to verify his vote after casting in the electronic voting machine, whether the vote has been recorded, with the help of a transparent window of a printer. The printed-paper slip will show the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate for whom the vote has been cast before the paper slip is cut and dropped in the drop box of the printer. The display will last only for seven seconds, Jha said.

He said, the voters of Karnataka would also get to use the NOTA (none of the above) option for the first time.

“This option was available earlier too, in the form of a register wherein the voters who did not want to cast their vote for any of the candidates had to enter the details in a register and sign. However, it was visible to all and this time, this option is incorporated in the EVMs,” he said.

The commission has made arrangements for 54,264 polling booths across the state. Of these, 11,424 booths have been identified as being hypersensitive and 14,960 booths as sensitive. The booths have been provided with 75,353 electronic voting machines and 54,261 control units with another 5,000 spare sets in cases of emergency. There will be 6,072 booths installed with video cameras for surveillance and web-casting arrangement has been made at 6,087 booths.

The EC and the state government together have made arrangements for deploying 60,000 security personnel that include civil police, armed police, home guards and paramilitary forces. Besides security personnel, the EC has deployed 295,000 persons for poll duty, of which 118,000 are women. This time, women staff has been exempted from staying overnight at the polling booths, Jha said.

The remuneration paid to the polling staff has been enhanced to Rs 175 to Rs 350 per day depending on the grade. The usage of mobile phones inside the polling booth by the voters has been strictly prohibited.

“We have also set up 100 model polling stations for the first time in Karnataka. Here, we have provided all basic amenities to voters like drinking water, better seating arrangements and better signages among others,” Jha said.

As part of the search and seizure, the EC has till now seized Rs 28 crore in cash, liquor and other materials across the state. This amount could further go up by the time the voting is completed on April 17, he said.

All the business establishments, private offices and government offices will remain closed on April 17 to facilitate the employees to cast their votes under the Section 135(D) of the Representation of People Act, 1951, he said adding if anyone violates the rule, strict penal action would be taken.

The EC has also identified 44 cases of violation of paid news by media houses and booked cases against three candidates.