All set for second phase of Gram Panchayat polls

The district administration has made all preparations for the smooth conduct of the second phase of Gram Panchayat elections on December 27.

In the second phase, elections will be held in 35 Gram Panchayats in Virajpet taluk. As many as 54 candidates have been elected unopposed. The elections will be held in 183 polling booths from 7 am to 5 pm, said Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy.

There are 924 candidates in the fray for 366 seats in 136 wards. No nominations were received for Arakere first, second and third wards in Thithimathi Gram Panchayat jurisdiction.

The taluk has 50 sensitive, 18 hypersensitive, four Maoist infected and 111 general polling booths.

A total of 54 buses, 24 maxi cabs and 29 jeeps will be utilised to ferry polling officials to the polling booths. The mustering will be held at St Annamma PU College in Virajpet on December 26, she the deputy commissioner.

Each polling booth will have a presiding officer and three other polling officials. A total of 220 PROs, 220 APROs and 440 polling officials have been deployed.

The district has 128 polling booths in the areas affected by the wild animals' menace.

Owing to the model code of conduct, the shandy markets and fairs have been banned from midnight of December 26 to midnight of December 27. Section 144 has been clamped within a 200-meter radius of the polling booths.

The use of sound system is banned in the restricted area. The candidates cannot engage in wooing the voters within a 100-meter radius of the polling booths.

In the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the State Election Commission has issued a Standard Operating Procedure. Arrangements will be made for the Covid-19 infected to exercise his/her franchise at the polling booths.

Ban on liquor

The deputy commissioner said that the district administration has imposed a ban on the sale of liquor in the Gram Panchayat jurisdiction where elections will be held, till 5 pm of December 27.

The sale and transportation of liquor have been banned. Bars, liquor outlets, clubs and hotels cannot supply liquor during the period.

Annies Kanmani Joy said that candidates can only visit houses for campaigning on Saturday. They cannot hold rallies or public meetings in connection with the elections.