ZP, TP Polls in Two Phases on Dec 26, 31, Counting on Jan 4

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 6: Finally, the Karnataka State Election Commission has announced the schedule for holding the all-important zilla and taluk panchayat polls in two phases on December 26 and 31.
 
As many as 27 ZPs and 176 TPs are going to polls in the two phases, counting for which will be held on January 4 in all the taluk headquarters. For the first time, the state Election Commission would be using electronic voting machines (EVMs) for elections unlike the past when ballot papers were being used.

State Election Commission chief C R Chikmath, who announced the poll schedule for electing the members of the local bodies, said the model code of conduct would come into effect immediately from Monday midnight.

While polling to fill up 445 ZP and 1728 TP seats in 14 districts would take place in the first phase on December 26, another 484 ZP and 1931 TP seats in 13 districts would go to polls in the second phase on December 31.

Counting of votes for both the taluk and zilla panchayat bodies would take place at the respective taluk headquarters on January 4, 2011.

However, the calendar of events for elections to ZPs of Haveri and Gadad districts would be announced later following the stay order on the reservation order by a Circuit Bench of the High Court of Karnataka. The High Court also stayed the rotation of seats in Davangere ZP.

ZPs and TPs that would go to polls in the first phase are Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural, Ramagaram, Chitradurga, Kolar, Chickaballapur, Shimoga, Tumkur, Bidar, Bellary, Raichur, Gulbarga, Yadgiri, and Koppal.

ZP and TPs that would go to polls in the second phase are Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Hassan, Kodagu, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajangar, Belgaum, Bijapur, Bagalokote, Dharwad, and Uttar Kananda.

Elections to all 176 TPs would be held in the first and second phases.
As per the Karnataka Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act, 2010, 50 per cent of seats in ZPs and TPs have been reserved for women in these elections against the 33 per cent in 2005 elections.

About 20,000 EVMS from the Election Commission of India and 80,000 EVMs would be brought from Orissa for this round of local body polls.

Poll expenditure limit of Rs 1 lac for ZP and Rs 50,000 for TP candidates

Chikmath said the election expenditure would be Rs one lac for a candidate in zilla panchayat (ZP) and Rs 50,000 a candidate in taluk panchayat (TP) polls.

A control room would be set up in each deputy commissioner’s office to receive complaints from the public.

The excise department too would set up control rooms in each district to check illegal storage, transportation and distribution of liquor during the campaign.

Chikamath said the commission would write to chief secretaries of all neighboring states to establish check posts on border areas to stop illegal flow of liquor to the state till the completion of election process.

Unlike elections to gram panchayat, elections to ZPs and TPs would be held on party lines. Teachers would be deployed to conduct elections across the state, Chikmath said.

The SEC said the code of conduct would come into effect from midnight of Monday across the state, including urban areas. Deputy commissioners have been instructed to remove all advertisements and hoardings erected by the state government and its agencies.

The state government has released Rs 56 crore for holding elections and Rs 22 crore for purchase of EVMs.

The commission would deploy 32,382 presiding officers and 1.61 lac polling personnel for ensuring peaceful conduct of polls. A total 2.67 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in elections in the state.