Udupi gears up for first phase of GP polls

Addressing the media persons here on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Hemalatha said that there are as many as 146 Gram Panchayats in the district, of which polls will be held for 143 Gram Panchayats. There are as many as 2,323 positions to be filled and a total number of 4,995 candidates are in fray. There are 61 GPs in Udupi Taluk and 29 in Karkala. The total number of voters in the district is 6,11,996. As many as 51 candidates in Udupi and 73 in Kundapur have been elected unopposed, she added.

There are 749 polling stations in the district of which 731 will be utilised. In Udupi, polling will be held at 320 polling stations and in Karkala, polling will be held in 153 polling stations. Public holiday has been declared on the polling day, she said.

Marvanthe in Kundapur and Belapu in Karkala are the two Gram Panchayats where members have been elected unopposed. Political parties have been asked not to hold any public rallies and open campaigning from 7 am on May 6. Liquor sale has been banned from May 7 to 12 pm on May 8. The indelible ink is this time applied to the middle finger on the right hand of the voter.

State Election Commission has deployed Mysore Division Additional RC as the observer for Gram Panchayat polls. The polling is through ballot paper. The mustering, de-mustering and counting centres in Udupi, Karkala and Kundapur taluks are T M A Pai English Medium School, Taluk Office and Bhandarkars College respectively,

Security

Speaking on the occasion, SP Prawin Pawar informed that elaborate security measures have been made in the naxal prone areas of the district. Combing operations are on, besides peace committee meetings are being held by police to wipe out fear in the minds of the public. As much as 63 per cent arm deposition has taken place in the entire district.

Total number of 1,473 security staff have been deployed which include KSRP and DAR forces in the first phase. A total number of 933 security staff are engaged in work in the second phase, he added.