101 GPs to go to polls in Kodagu on Dec 22, 27

In Kodagu district, Gram Panchayat elections will be held in two phases. Elections will be held in Madikeri and Somwarpet taluks in the first phase and in Virajpet taluk in the second phase, said Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.

There are 104 Gram Panchayats in the district and elections will be held for 101 Gram Panchayats.

Elections for Ponnampet, Gonikoppa and Chennayyanakote Gram Panchayats will not be held as the term of the Gram Panchayat will be ending in 2020-21.

The election model code of conduct has come into effect in the Gram Panchayat limits from November 30 and it will be in place till at 5 pm on December 31.

The code of conduct is not applicable to Town Panchayat and CMCs.

The deputy commissioner said that 562 polling booths have been identified. Out of these, 90 are the additional polling booths.

A total of 1,202 members need to be elected. There are 295 seats in Madikeri, 424 in Virajpet and 483 in Somwarpet, she said.

As many as 110 returning officers and 110 assistant returning officers will be deployed. Ten per cent of booth level officers and staff have been deployed taluk wise. There are a total of 1,238 polling staff. Every polling booth will have a presiding officer and three polling staff, she added.

Constituency wise reservation has been declared for all Gram Panchayats. The details are available on www.kodagu.nic.in

Ballot paper will be used for the elections. The election is not fought on party lines.

Covid-19 infected

As per the Standard Operating Procedure issued by the State Election Commission, Covid-19 infected people will be allowed to cast votes, along with necessary precautions in the polling booth, during the last one hour of the election.

First phase

The deputy commissioner who is the district returning officer will issue election notification on December 7.

The last date for the submission of nominations is December 11. The scrutiny of nominations will be held on December 12 and December 14 is the last date to withdraw nominations.

In the first phase, elections will be held on December 22 from 7 am to 5 pm. Re-elections, if necessary will be held on December 24 from 7 am to 5 pm.

Counting of votes will be held on December 30 from 8 am onwards, in the respective taluks.

Second phase

The deputy commissioner will issue notification on December 11, while December 16 is the last date to submit nominations and December 19 is the last date to withdraw nominations. Scrutiny will be held on December 17.

The elections will be held on December 27 from 7 am to 5 pm. If necessary, re-elections will be held on December 29 between 7 am and 5 pm. The counting of votes will be held on December 30 from 8 am onwards.

Zilla Panchayat CEO Bhanwar Singh Meena, Assistant Commissioner Ishwar Kumar Khandu, Additional Deputy Commissioner P Shrinivas and DySP Dinesh Kumar were present in the press meet.