JOIN USMysuru voters gear up for panchayat polls today
As many as 9,845 polling personnel, 4,400 electronic voting machines (EVMs) and at least 3,000 policemen have been deputed by the district administration to ensure smooth polling in 1,794 polling booths. The elections for the Zilla and Taluk panchayats, second phase, will be held on Saturday.
Addressing media here on Friday, Deputy Commissioner C Shikha, also the returning officer, said, “A total of 49 ZP seats and 187 TP seats with 229 and 691 candidates respectively, will go for polling on the day. The electorate consists of 14.32 lakh voters—7.26 lakh men and 7.06 lakh women.”
One presiding officer and four polling officers have been deputed at each booth. Earlier, both presiding officers and first-level polling officers were trained in two phases. To ensure transparency, the personnel have been deputed at booths away from their native taluks and work places. However, women personnel have been deputed in the same taluks, where they are on duty, as per the direction of the State Election Commission.
A mustering centre and a de-mustering centre (that will be converted into counting centres as counting of votes is scheduled for February 23) have been set up at all seven taluks. For Mysuru taluk, mustering centre is set up at Maharani’s First Grade College, JLB Road, where de-mustering and counting will take place; for Nanjangud, Government Boys PU College (Junior College) on Ooty Road, Nanjangud; T Narsipur, Vidyodaya College, T Narsipur; Hunsur, St Joseph’s School, Hunsur; KR Nagar, Government First Grade College, KR Nagar; Periyapatna, Pushpa Convent, Periyapatna; and H D Kote, St Mary’s School, HD Kote.
Mandatory votingAs per the amendments made to Karnataka Panchayat Raj Ordinance, 1993, Section 125 and 164, it is mandatory for the voters on the electoral roll to exercise their franchise without fail. If the voters are unwilling to support any candidate, they can opt for none of the above (NOTA) option.
To enable voters, the EVMs for ZP poll are covered with pink ballot papers and for TP poll, EVMs are covered with white papers.
ID card, othersA total of 22 documents, including electoral photo identification card (EPIC) can be produced by the voters at the polling booths. It includes passport, driving licence, permanent account number (PAN) card, ID cards of State or Central government, public sector or other industrial organisations, ID cards issued by public sector banks, post offices and Kisan cards, ID cards issued by recognised educational institutions to students, etc.