GP polls: Vote counting today

The votes, polled for Gram Panchayat (GP) seats, on December 22 and 27, will be counted in their respective taluk headquarters on Wednesday, from 8 am, and the candidates and political parties keep their fingers crossed, before the results are declared.

Even though the GP elections are not contested on any political party symbol, after the results are announced, each party claims some numbers in its favour. It has to be noted that the BJP, which did not have a network of grassroots-level workers, especially in the rural areas of the Mysuru region, till the last election, has tried to gain a foothold this time. Otherwise, it is basically a contest between the workers of the Congress and the JD(S) in Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar districts.

Even the leaders of the parties did not tour the villages like in either Assembly or Lok Sabha polls, but held either division-level, taluk-level or Assembly constituency-level meetings of their respective party workers. While it was Grama Janadhikar Samaveshas by the Congress, it was Grama Swaraj convention by the BJP.

As the number of seats and candidates is vast, the respective district administrations have imposed restrictions on the movement on people and vehicles around the counting centres in each taluk headquarters.

In Mysuru, the counting of votes of the GPs in Mysuru taluk will be held at Maharani's Women's Commerce and Management College, on Valmiki Road. Thus, movement of vehicles is banned on Valmiki Road, from Hunsur Road junction to Kalidasa Road junction, from 6 am to 10 pm on Wednesday. Besides, on Adi Pampa Road, the restriction is from Mathrumandali Circle up to Valmiki Road junction.

On Kalidasa Road, it will be one-way traffic from Valmiki Road junction up to Mathrumandali Circle from east to west. Traffic on the opposite direction is not allowed. On Hunsur Road, traffic of heavy vehicles is restricted from Dr Veerendra Heggade Circle to A Venkataramanaiah Circle (Paduvarahalli junction).

There will be no traffic on both sides of the Double Road, from A Venkataramanaiah Circle up to Kalamandira. Vehicles can take the alternative route via Kalamandira junction, Kukkarahalli junction, Bogadi Road, University of Mysore Open Air Theatre Road and Hunsur Road near Paduvarahalli junction. KSRTC buses should turn towards Temple Road in Jayalakshmipuram and reach Dasappa Cricle via KRS Road, to reach the city.

The candidates, their agents and counting officials should reach Valmiki Road via KRS Road. At Valmiki Road, they should enter Kalidasa Road and enter the college from the gate near Mahadeshwara temple in Paduvarahalli.