Polling in 106 Gram Panchayats in Dakshina Kannada begins

The gram panchayat elections in 106 GPs in Mangaluru, Moodbidri and Bantwal taluks of Dakshina Kannada (DK) commenced on Tuesday morning.

The polling began at a slow pace from 7 am and is likely to pick up the pace by noon.

Bantwal MLA Rajesh Naik exercised his franchise at the Thenka Edapadavu Government Primary School in Mangaluru taluk.

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While former minister B Ramanath Rai cast his vote at Thodambila School in Kallige Gram Panchayat of Bantwal after offering special puja at Venkatramana Temple in Bantwal. There are 3854 candidates contesting for 1631 seats in 106 gram panchayats in Mangaluru, Moodbidri and Bantwal taluks.

The Asha workers were seen checking the body temperature of the voters using thermal scanners at the polling booths.

DK registered an average of 14.48% polling by 9 am. Mangaluru registered 14.6% polling, Moodbidri-15.64% polling and Bantwal 13.7% polling.

There are 817 polling booths with 322 in Mangaluru taluk, 99 in Moodbidri and 396 in Bantwal taluks. Out of 322 polling booths in Mangaluru, 119 are sensitive, 47 hypersensitive and 156 are general booths. In Moodbidri, there are 42 sensitive, 21 hypersensitive and 36 general polling booths while in Bantwal has 86 sensitive, 46 hypersensitive and 264 general polling booths.

Udupi

While in Udupi a total of 2349 candidates are in the fray for 1047 seats in the first phase of gram panchayat elections in 67-gram panchayats in Udupi, Hebri, Baindoor and Brahmavara taluks. No nominations were filed for 12 seats in Kodi Kanyana Gram Panchayat in Brahmavar.

Minister for Fisheries and Muzrai exercised his franchise at a polling booth in Kotathattu in Udupi district.