Rahul Dravid state election icon;new initiatives for Karnataka

Cricketer Rahul Dravid as the state election icon, disabled government employeesas polling staff and all women polling stations are among the slew of new initiatives taken up by the state electoral authorities for the May 12 assembly elections in Karnataka.

"Rahul Dravid will be the state election icon,"Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar told reporters here.

Yograj Bhat, film and music director, is making a title song, which will be 2018 "Karnataka Election Anthem" and it will get released in a week's time.

"Some of the persons with disabilities -- employees of the government, will be participating in certain selected pollingstation as polling staff for the first time... we are encouraging them" Kumar said.

He said "450 all women polling stations will be setup. Efforts are on for four in urban constituencies and one in rural constituencies."