14 in the fray in Karnataka West Graduates Constituency; 97,398 to cast votes

The stage is set for polling in the Legislative Council elections to the West Graduates Constituency on Friday with the officials having taken all steps for a smooth conduct of the process.

As many as 137 polling stations have been set up across the districts of Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri and Uttara Kannada for polling to held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The constituency, once a Congress stronghold, was won by the BJP in 2008. The Congress has since been attempting to regain the seat. This election has 14 candidates in the fray, including Congress nominee Mohan Limbikai and incumbent MLC and BJP candidate S.V. Sankanur.

The other candidates are Nishanth Bankapur, Mallikarjun Channappa Gangadhar, Shivakumar Talwar, Kanthakumar, Basavaraj Kotagi, Jishan Ahmadkhan Pathan, Santosh Vernekar, Umesh Daivajna, Krishna, Jishan Sirsangi, G.H. Imrapur and Abdul Munnan.

Returning Officer and Belagavi Divisional Commissioner K.M. Janaki said that 97,398 electors are eligible to vote. She said that of the 137 polling stations established across the four districts under the constituency, 128 are regular polling stations and nine are auxiliary stations.

Arrangements have been made to provide basic facilities at polling stations and deploy trained personnel, Ms. Janaki said.

As the election will be conducted using ballot papers, there will be no electronic voting machines (EVMs) or None of the Above (NOTA) option.

Dharwad Deputy Commissioner Snehal R. said that polling personnel have undergone three rounds of training.

On Thursday, they collected election material from the district administration and proceeded to their respective polling stations.

The counting centre and strongroom have been set up at the University of Agricultural Sciences in Dharwad.

Counting will take place on Tuesday, while prohibitory orders will be in force within 200 metres of the counting centre.

Political parties have also been educating voters on the preferential voting system.

In the 2020 election to the constituency, 8,700 ballots were declared invalid out of an approximate 52,000 votes polled.

Preferential voting

Unlike in the general elections, a candidate in the Legislative Council graduates constituency election must secure the required quota of votes to be elected. Voters must mark their preferences against names of candidates in numerical order, beginning with 1 for their first preference.

A ballot will be declared invalid if more than one candidate is marked with first preference or if the prescribed voting procedure is not followed.

The ballot paper will carry candidate serial numbers, names, photographs and party affiliations, but not party symbols. Voters must use the pen provided by polling officials.