Davangere South, Bagalkot all set for byelections on April 9

Voting will be held from 7 am to 6 pm.

The Davangere South and Bagalkot Legislative Assembly constituencies will vote in the byelections necessitated by the demise of Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, respectively, on Thursday.

On Wednesday, polling staff and security personnel started arriving at the mustering centre at DRR school on PB road in Davangere since morning. 

They were informed about the polling stations assigned to them. Returning officer Santosh Kumar distributed the electronic voting machines (EVMs) and other election material to the poll staff. 

The officials received the control unit, ballot unit, VVPAT, a copy of the electoral list, agent appointment form and other documents.

After 3 pm, the election officers and staff boarded vehicles bound for their respective polling stations along with security personnel.

Officials from various departments, teachers, police and central armed police force (CAPF) personnel have been deployed for the bypoll duty. 

A PRO (polling station presiding officer), assistant PRO, two polling officers, 'D' group personnel, CAPF personnel and booth-level officers have been assigned for each polling booth. A total of 284 polling booths have been set up (one for 800 to 1,200 votes). The voting is from 7 am to 6 pm. 

There are a total of 2,31,072 voters here, including 1,13,339 male, 1,17,690 female and 43 third gender voters. Congress candidate Samarth Shamanur Mallikarjun and BJP nominee Srinivas T Dasakariappa are not voters in the constituency. 

Personnel deputed for byelection duty board buses to their respective polling stations in Davangere on Wednesday.