Polling for South Graduates' Council seat today

Over one lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the election to the Legislative Council from South Graduates constituency on Thursday.

Comparatively, graduates enrolment, who form the electorate, has increased by 35,000 this time, reflecting hectic politics associated with the elections.

Reacting to a media query, Regional Commissioner A M Kunjappa, also returning officer, said “During the previous election, held six years ago, approximately 85,000 had enrolled, which has touched 1.20 lakh this time. Earlier, when the period of enrolment was open till January 2016, a total of 1.05 lakh voters had enrolled. The numbers increased by another 15,000 as the enrolment continued till May.

Mustering
On the eve of the poll, on Wednesday, personnel deputed on duty collected materials as a part of mustering exercise from different venues. The materials included ballot papers, violet sketch pens (only pen provided at voting booths to enable voters exercise their franchise) and stationery materials required at booths. For booths set up in the city, main office of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) on New Sayyaji Rao road was the mustering centre, while for rural Mysuru and other three districts — Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan that also come under constituency — mustering was conducted at the respective taluk offices.

Permission
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, also district electoral officer, has directed the department heads of the government and public sectors, private schools and colleges and also factories to give permission to the workers who have enrolled for voting. Such workers will be allowed to cast their votes between 8 am and 4 pm, as per the polling schedule.

Candidates
Of the total 17 candidates in the fray, K T Srikantegowda is a former MLC, seeking re-election as Janata Dal (Secular) nominee, after a hiatus of six years. It is the maiden contest for Congress’ Dr H N Ravindra and BJP’s M V Ravishankar. Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha president and former MLA Vatal Nagaraj is also in the fray, besides writer K S Bhagwan.

DH News Service