The Karnataka elections are underway and the people are moving in to cast their votes in the 222 seats in the state.
It is expected that 4.9 crore people are to exercise their franchise, and currently, polling has begun in 56696 booths and the security have been upped across the state.
There will be 10,500 police personnel deployed in Bengaluru city limits during the voting hours today. In addition, there will be staff from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) and other units.
This elections sees the political tug-of-war between 3 major candidates-Congress who are trying to retain their power in the largest state, JD(S) who is trying to make a comeback to power in the state, while BJP are trying to enter South India with this elections.
The BJP is contesting in 223 of the 224 seats, the Congress in 221. The JD(S)-BSP combine is contesting in 218 seats. 180 settling legislators are contesting. 1,142 Independents too are contesting in today’s elections.
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Union Minister, BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda casts his vote in Puttur.
Today 222 out of 224 constituencies are polling. The remaining 2 constituencies are Rajarajeshwari Nagar (RR Nagar) and Jayanagar.
The people of these constituencies are set to cast their votes on the 28th of May.
RR Nagar’s polling was postponed due to the recent controversy that took place in the constituency where fake voters’ ids were seized, with the leaders demanding that fair and equal elections be conducted. In Jayanagar, their 2-timer BJP MLA B N Vijayakumar passed away.
The counting of votes in these constituencies is set for the 30th of May.
Meanwhile. there are special polling booths for women. “A total of 450 all-woman polling stations will be set up in the state for the election, where not just the police staff, but also the polling officers will be women,” chief electoral officer Sanjiv Kumar told the media.
Former cricket captain Rahul Dravid, who hails from the southern state, will be the “state election icon”, who will urge all people in the state to vote, Kumar said, adding that an election anthem will also be made for awareness on voting by renowned Kannada film director and lyricist Yograj Bhat.
The poll panel said it was taking awareness steps to increase voting percentage among women and urban areas.
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