Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru, May 11: With less than 24 hours to go before the polling for the crucial Karnataka elections, preparations are in full swing in the district to ensure everything goes smoothly. On Friday May 11, polling officials and personnel deputed on poll duty reported at the mustering center at Rosario PU College and Canara primary and high schools here.
This time, voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) units are being used along with electronic voting machines (EVMs). In Dakshina Kannada, 2,608 VVPATs are being used in the eight constituencies.
The polling personnel waited in groups for their turn to collect the election-related material and electronic voting machines as well as VVPATs.
Security has been beefed up ahead of election within the city police commissionerate and district police limits. Over 2,700 personnel and officers (central armed paramilitary force, civil police, armed police and home guards) have been deployed for the election duties within the city police limits in 877 polling stations within the city commissionerate. While in district police limits, 6 DySP, 14 police inspectors, 40 PSI, 136 head constable, 660 police constables, 330 home guards, 20 forest guards along with 11,400 central paramilitary personnel, 3 KSRP, and 1 RAF platoon has been deployed for 981 polling stations.
Polling will be held on May 12 from 7 am to 6 pm in all the 1,858 polling stations of the district. Counting of votes will be held on May 15 at Mahatma Gandhi Centenary Higher Primary School, Bondel (Beltangady, Moodbidri and Mangaluru North) and Mahatma Gandhi Centenary PU College, Bondel (Mangaluru South, Mangaluru, Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia).
Udupi: Officials move to their respective booths for election duty; pink booths to lure women voters
Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network-Udupi (HB)
Udupi, May 11: The mustering process for the state assembly election was carried out successfully after which the polling staff left to their respective polling stations along with the polling materials from St Cecily’s PU College Udupi mustering centre here on Friday, May 11. They also transported ballot machines with first aid kits provided by the election commission.
In order to conduct smooth and peaceful election, necessary steps have been taken which includes installation of video surveillance team, flying squad, static surveillance team, sector officer team, video viewing team and MCC nodal officer team.
The KSRTC and private buses have been arranged on 303 routes for the elections.
There are 9,93,415 voters in the district out of which 4,78,350 are male voters and 5,15,041 are females and 24 others.
The total voters in Udupi are 2,07,431 out of which 1,00,535 are male voters and 1,06,892 female voters and four others.
The total voters in Byndoor are 2,22,427 out of which 1,08,154 are male voters and 1,14,259 female voters and 14 others.
The total voters in Kundapur are 1,99,575 out of which 95,927 are male voters and 1,03,648 female voters and 14 others.
The total voters in Kaup are 1,82,972 out of which 87,020 are male voters and 95,948 female voters and 14 others.
The total voters in Karkala are 1,81,010 out of which 86,714 are male voters and 94,294 female voters and two others.
There are 1103 polling booths in the district.
Pink booths set up to attract women voters:
This new venture is expected to lure a turnout of more women voter in the bid to empower women and also increase their participation and involvement in polling exercise. The pink polling booths will be managed completely by female staff and security personnel, micro observers. Even the security personnel in these booths will be women who will work with inputs from women police officers on duty.
When voters enter into these booths, they will be greeted with pink everywhere. The table cloth, four walls and card board which cover VVPAT will be in pink.
There are ten pink polling booths in Udupi district of five constituencies.
There are five pink stations in Udupi alone, one each in Byndoor, Kundapur and Kaup. Two are in Karkala.
The pink booths will be set up in gram panchayat office, Shiroor (396 women voters), PVS Sarojini Madhusudana Khushe Government High School Voderhobali (Room No 2 of Eastern Portion), ( 552 women voters), Christian High School, Udupi, Main Building (middle part), Christian High School, Udupi, main building (middle part), Christian High School, Udupi, main building (South Side) (1247 women voters in booth), St Mary's English Medium School, Kannarpady (North Wing) (546 women voters), St Mary's English Medium School, Kannarpady (South Wing) (648 women voters) Community Hall cum gram panchayat office, Kurkal (648 women voters), Government Higher Primary School, Pervaje, Karkala (South wing) (665 women voters) and Government Higher Primary School, Pervaje, Karkala (North Side) (553 women voters).
All staff in these polling booths will wear pink-coloured dress.
The total VVPATs are 1381, 1437 ballot units and 1315 control units. There is special privilege provided to physically challenged people like ramp, wheel-chair and volunteers.
There are 6354 officers and trained government staff appointed on the election duty. Wheelchairs would be provided in 555 polling booth areas. Magnifying glasses would be provided to those who suffer from eyesight problems at 328 polling booths.
Tokens would be provided to voters at all polling booths in Kundapur assembly constituency so that they need not stand in queues.
Over 2500 security personnel have been appointed on duty. The security personnel included 16 companies of paramilitary force including the Border Security Force, the Sashastra Seema Bal, and the Central Reserve Police Force, three units of the Karnataka Reserve Police Force, local police and also personnel from Haryana police are deputed.