JOIN USAll arrangements have been made for the counting of the votes of Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency to be held at St Cecily School here, on Thursday.
It will decide the fate of the two arch rivals— Shobha Karandlaje (BJP) and Pramod Madhwaraj (JD(S)-Congress.
The district administration has taken all necessary measures for the smooth conduct of the counting. Both Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati and Superintendent of Police Nisha James visited the counting centre and inspected the ongoing preparations.
Korlapati said that the counting would begin on time as directed by the election commission. She added that the slips from VVPATs will be counted after the votes in EVMs are counted. The counting of the votes of eight Assembly constituencies will be held in the 14 rooms.
As many as 127 poll counting supervisors, 131 counting assistants, 127 micro observers and 127 'D' Grade employees will be engaged in the counting process. Each counting hall is headed by an assistant returning officer who is assisted by eight polling officers.
Additionally, six assistant polling officers are kept in reserve for the emergencies. Additional five tables are earmarked for the counting of postal votes.
The security has been beefed up in the centre with deployment of one CRPF platoon, three KSRP platoons, 30 home guards and 335 police personnel. A total of 130 CCTV cameras have been installed.
As many as 16 rounds of counting will be held for 222 polling booths in Kundapur Assembly constituency, 17 rounds for 226 polling booths in Udupi, 15 rounds each for 208 and 209 polling booths in Kaup and Karkala respectively, 19 rounds for 256 polling booths in Sringeri, 17 rounds for 231 polling booths in Mudigere, 19 rounds for 257 polling booths in Chikkamagaluru, and 17 rounds for 228 polling stations in Tarikere.
The Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency recorded a voter turnout of 75.8 %.
The constituency after delimitation had its first Lok Sabha election in 2009 and D V Sadananda Gowda of BJP won the seat. When Gowda resigned in 2012 to become the state chief minister, the constituency went for a by-election in 2012. The by-election was won by Congress candidate Jayaprakash Hedge. In 2014, the constituency was won by BJP.