Council poll: 99 pc voter turn out in dist

Polling for Council elections from Tumakuru local bodies constituency went off peacefully barring a stray incident of violance reported in Bhovihalli under Tumakuru Rural police station limits.

 A total of 99 per cent polling was recorded across 352 booths. While Tiptur, Turuvekere, Madhugiri and Gubbi taluks have recorded cent per cent voting, Sira, Koratagere, Tumakuru and Kunigal taluks registered 99 per cent polling.

Members of Tumakuru Mahanagara Palike, TMCs, CMCs, zilla panchayat, town panchayats and gram panchayats cast their votes.

The voting started off at a sluggish pace at urban local bodies including the Palike as the leaders of the parties and the elected representatives were seen camping in several villages to make sure their candidate score big at panchayat levels. Voting gained pace post 10 am in urban local bodies. By noon, the Palike, TMCs and town panchayats witnessed 80 per cent polling. Home Minister G Parameshwara, Member of Parliament S P Muddahanumegowda and City MLA Rafique Ahmed exercised their franchise at a booth on the premises of Zilla Panchayat office in the morning. Madhugiri MLA K N Rajanna cast his vote at a booth in TMC while Chikkanayakanahalli MLA Suresh Babu, along with 17 JD(S)-backed TMC members exercised their franchise in the morning. Tumakuru Rural MLA Sureshgowda, Gubbi MLA Srinivas, Tiptur MLA K Shadakshari cast their vote at the booths in respective taluks.

Mayor Lalita, standing committee presidents, members and nominated members cast their votes at a booth in Palike. By 12 pm, 33 members out of 40 had exercised their franchise in the Palike while less than 30 per cent of voters in ZP had cast their votes.

As last-ditch efforts, party workers and supporters of the candidates were seen making calls to the members of local bodies to vote for their candidate. They were also seen making gesture to the members outside the booths.

At several villages, supporters of the candidates, throwing all caution to the winds, were seen ferrying the members to the booth. At Hullekere GP booth in Turuvekere taluk, no member turned up to vote till 2:30 pm. The members of the GP came in groups and cast their votes between 3 pm and 4 pm. DC K P Mohan Raj visited several booths, including the sensitive ones, to take stock of the proceedings.

Huchaiah plays it safe
Zilla Panchayat president Y H Huchaiah, who had quit JD(S) to join BJP days before the Council polls, didn’t not cast his vote fearing action under anti-defection law.

Had he exercised his franchise, Huchaiah would have lost the right to contest elections for next six years as per the rules under the anti-defection law.