Nanjangud, Gundlupet bypolls today

The Election Commission is all set for holding bypolls in Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly constituencies, in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts respectively, on April 9. However, both Assembly segments come under Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Elaborate arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the bypolls in both the constituencies. As the bypolls are seen as a straight fight between  the BJP and Congress, security has been beefed up in both places. The Election Officers in both the segments have filed several cases against violators of the model code of conduct.

They have also arrested several people for poll-related irregularities since March 9.While the Mysuru district police have deputed 1,290 personnel, including senior officials, 18 battalions of District Armed Reserve police and six battalions of Central Armed Police Forces have also been deployed as a precautionary measure.

In the Gundlupet Assembly segment, 55 assistant sub-inspectors, 128 head constables, 250 constables, 194 home guards, and 365 CAPF personnel have been deployed.

In addition, micro observers have been appointed to a few select polling centres in both the constituencies. While all polling centres will be under video coverage, 20 and 10 stations in Nanjangud and Gundlupet segments respectively are covered by web casting. In order to prevent malpractice, mobile phones are banned inside the polling centres.

In Nanjangud constituency, the EC has established 236 booths. Among them, 72 have been identified as hyper-sensitive and 124 as sensitive. In the Gundlupet segment, there are 250 polling booths and 49 of them have been identified as hyper-sensitive and 56 as sensitive.

Nanjangud constituency has 11 candidates, including Congress and BJP, in the fray. While BJP has fielded former minister V Srinivas Prasad, Congress party has fielded Kalale N Keshavamurthy, who had lost to Prasad in the previous Assembly poll in 2013. While Karunaadu Party has fielded M Pradeepkumar, the remaining are independent candidates.

The segment has a total of 2,00,498 voters, including 1,01,267 men and 99,231 women. In Gundlupet, there are 2,00,862 voters, including 1,00,144 men, 1,00,701 women and 17 others. A total of seven candidates are in the fray. While BJP candidate is C S Niranjan Kumar, Congress has fielded late minister H S Mahadev Prasad's wife M C Mohanakumari.

There are 250 polling booths. Of them, 49 have been declared hyper-sensitive and 56 sensitive. One presiding officer and four polling officials will be posted in each polling centre. All poll officials have undergone rigorous training. As many as 1,400 officials have been appointed across the constituency.

One Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), one control unit and a Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) system will be used at each polling centre. Chamarajanagar District Election authorities have arranged 351 EVMs and 288 control units, besides 445 VVPATs. Counting of votes will be held on April 13 from 8 am. However, the model code of conduct will be in force till April 15, till the election process is completed.