Steps taken for peaceful polling in Udupi

The district administration has taken all steps to ensure peaceful polling in Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency on Thursday.

Mustering work was carried out at St Cecily School in Udupi on Wednesday.

As many as 15,13,231 voters will cast their votes in both Udupi and Chikkamagaluru districts. There are a total 7,38,503 male and 7,74,674 female and 54 other gender voters. Polling will be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm. The electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPATs were dispatched to the polling booths across the district from St Cecily School through polling officials.

The strong room was opened in the presence of District Election Officer and Udupi Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati, Additional Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari, Superintendent of Police Nisha James and other observers. The security had been beefed up at the mustering centre. Besides 105 CCTV cameras installed around the centre, para military personnel too were deployed.

As many as four KSRP platoons, two companies of Central para military force and two ITBP companies have been deployed in the district. As many as 36 polling booths are in Maoist-affected areas.

Udupi-Chikmagalur became a Lok Sabha constituency after the delimitation of the Parliamentary constituencies in 2008.

The constituency had its first Lok Sabha elections as an independent constituency in 2009 and its first elected member was D V Sadananda Gowda from BJP. This time there are as many as 12 candidates in fray.