Poll process in DK not transparent: Khader

Food and Civil Supplies Minister and Congress candidate from Mangaluru constituency U T Khader said that the electoral process in Dakshina Kannada was not transparent enough.

Addressing reporters in Mangaluru on Monday, he said that in his constituency itself, many voter slips have remained undistributed leaving room for their misuse. Voter slips issued by the Election Commission contained lots of errors in them such as misprints, change of photos and missing door numbers, he said.

“Moreover, the voter slips that were meant to be distributed by the respective Booth Level Officers were handed over to the representatives of political parties in some areas which is a gross violation of norms. The district administration should have ensured proper distribution of voter slips and the removal of errors in the slips as well,” he said.

In many polling booths, there was no wheelchair facility for the elderly and physically challenged. If at all they were available, they were provided to the voters only till the entrance of the booth and not allowed inside the polling booth, Khader pointed out.

Expressing confidence over the victory of the Congress, he said that the party will form the government with a full majority. Everyone is united in the party. Finalising the name of the chief ministerial candidate is left to the party high command, he said.

Mangaluru taluk panchayat president Muhammed Monu, leaders Ishwar Ullal, Salim Ulla, Suresh Bhat Nagara and Imtiaz were present at the press meet.