Mangaluru: Braving heat wave like condition and soaring mercury level, tentatively 77.44 per cent of electors exercised their franchise for the Lok Sabha polls to Dakshina Kannada parliamentary constituency here on Friday. The polling was peaceful. The voter turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha election in the constituency was 77.99 per cent.
In the 16th Lok Sabha elections, the district had registered 77.19 per cent polling and it was 74.46 per cent polling in 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
The parliamentary constituency registered 14.33 per cent voter turnout by 9 am. The percentage was 30.96 per cent at 11 am and 48.1 per cent at 1 pm, 58.65 per cent at 3 pm, 71.83 per cent at 5 pm.
Polling in Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency began on a brisk note on Friday morning. Voters were seen waiting in a queue to exercise their franchise since 7 am. However, voters visiting polling booths reduced in the noon. In some polling booths, as a part of Nari Shakti booth shakti campaign of the BJP, women wearing saffron headgear were seen waiting for their turn early in the morning itself.
Arrangements were made for handing over the mobilephones with the Asha workers and health staff deployed at polling booths.
Congress candidate Padmaraj R cast his vote at Capitanio School in Mangaluru. BJP candidate Capt Brijesh Chowta exercised his franchise at Government Girls PU College in Car Street.
Mangalore City South MLA D Vedavyasa Kamath cast his vote at DK ZP higher primary School at Gandhinagara. Mangalore City North MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty exercised his franchise at KPT in Kadri.
Assembly Speaker U T Khader cast his vote at Government School, Boliyar. MLC Manjunath Bhandari exercised his franchise at Kadri- Mallikatte.
A woman in Kumpala said that she had arrived at the polling booth at 6.30 am to exercise her vote so that she could leave to attend a marriage ceremony.
Political parties had set up their counters 200 away from the polling booths and were helping the voters in tracing their polling station. Some voters were even clicking selfies at selfie booths after casting their votes.
The district has 1876 polling booths and 18,18,127 voters. A total of 11255 polling personnel have been deployed in polling stations.
The district has 40 sakhi polling booths, eight mission based booths, 8 young voters booths and eight traditional booths. Webcasting has been arranged in 938 polling booths. The district has 171 critical polling booths that have been provided security by CAPF personnel.
Shamiana was erected at polling booths for ensuring shade to the voters while wheelchairs, ramps, and drinking water facility were made available in most of the booths. Inspite of shamiana, voters were seen holding umbrellas to protect themselves from sunshine.
Lauding the Sakhi booth at Holy Angel School in Shirthadi, a woman voter said “the polling booth is decorated nicely and it feels like a festival of democracy. Looking at the decoration, one gets attracted towards the booth.”
Appreciating authorities for arranging a wheelchair at the polling booth, family members of Boniface D'Souza in Katipalla sixth block said "wheelchair helped D'Souza who had suffered a fall and injured his leg recently to cast his vote."
Speaking after casting vote, BJP candidate Capt Brijesh Chowta said "people have exercised their franchise against lies and propaganda. The voters are casting their vote for the future of the country. I had appealed to women voters to exercise their franchise. Accordingly, Narishakti have turned out in large numbers."
Congress candidate Padmaraj R Poojary said "election is a festival of democracy. Let's share love and not engage in hate. Some are worried over losing the election. Whatever may be the result, let's not get desperate. People should vote to preserve democracy."
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