Udupi: First Phase of GP Elections in Dist Smooth
News & Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SB)
Udupi, May 8: The first phase of gram panchayat elections in 90 GPs of Udupi and Karkala taluks was held smoothly overall on Saturday May 8.
In all there was a tussle for 982 seats in 61 GPs of Udupi taluk and 468 seats in 29 GPS of Karkala taluk. In the naxal-infested areas of the taluks, on an average 60 per cent voting has been registered amid tight security.
In the polling booths of Karkala taluk in naxal-infested areas such as Nellikatte, Kabbinale, Nadpal, Mudrady and Someshwar police bandobast were in place. If anti-naxal squad were guarding the area in the wee hours, it was Tamil Nadu police which provided security during the day.
The election was not without minor hitches. The residents of Kabbinale had to travel as far as 26 kms to Nellikatte polling booth to cast their votes. It has also been alleged that an election official at a polling booth in Someshwar addressed the media inside the booth.
Another notable issue that emerged in the first phase of election is that though the highest percentage of candidature was of young aspirants, hardly youth were seen enthused to vote.
Counting on May 17
The counting of votes will be undertaken on May 17. The centres for counting at Udupi and Karkala taluks are T M A Pai English Medium School and Jaycees English Medium School, respectively.