Bypoll to Council: 99.59 % polling

The voters' response to the election to the legislative council from the Dharwad Local Authorities Constituency on Thursday was overwhelming as 99.59 per cent of the electorate cast their votes. The voting was peaceful.

The constituency comprises of gram panchayats, taluk panchayats, zilla panchayats, town panchayats, city municipal councils and municipal corporation in Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri districts.

The election was necessitated by the resignation of Shivaraj Sajjanar who had been elected on a BJP ticket and later joined the KJP to contest the assembly elections.

This time around, the BJP has fielded Pradeep Shettar, younger brother of former chief minister Jagadeesh Shettar while Congress has fielded Nagaraj Chabbi. Basavaraj Hadi is an independent in the fray.

Of the 7,316 voters, 7,286 exercised their franchise. The polling which started on a sedate note in the morning picked up later.

The voting began at 8 AM at 465 polling stations in 17 taluks of three districts.

Kundgol in Dharwad district, Mundargi in Gadag district, Shiggaon, Haveri and Byadgi in Haveri district recorded 100 per cent voting while Dharwad, Navalgund and Hubli recorded 99.66 per cent, 99.49 per cent and 99.51 per cent respectively taking the polling percentage in the district to 99.38 per cent.

Gadag district recorded 99.37 per cent voting. Gadag registered 99.19 per cent followed by Nargund (96.88 per cent), Ron (99.82 per cent), Mundargi (100 per cent) and Shirahatti (99.75 per cent).

The voting in Haveri district was 99.85 per cent. Savanur recorded 99.36 per cent followed by Shiggaon 100 per cent, Hanagal 99.82 per cent, Haveri 100 per cent, Ranebennur 99.84 per cent, Byadgi 100 per cent and Hirekerur 99.82 per cent.

Dharwad deputy commissioner Sameer Shukla who is the returning officer said there were no complaints of any irregularity either on the part of polling officials or political parties.

The counting of votes will be on Monday at the University of Agricultural Sciences.