All arrangements made in Udupi for smooth polling; tight security in place

coastaldigest.com web desk
April 17, 2019

Udupi, Apr 17: The district administration of Udupi, which falls under Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency, has made all arrangements to facilitate smooth polling in the four Assembly constituencies under its jurisdiction.

Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati told media persons that there were 15,13,231 voters in the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru parliamentary constituency, including 7,74,674 women and 7,38,503 and 54 others. The total number of polling booths in the constituency, which included eight Assembly segments of Kundapur, Udupi, Kaup, Karkala, Sringeri, Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru and Tarikere, was 1,837.

The administration had made arrangements for setting up 25 Sakhi booths, two booths for differently abled persons and one ethnic booth. The administration had also made arrangements to provide for wheelchairs, magnifying glass, Braille script ballot papers, ramp and other facilities for the differently abled.

The administration had identified the vulnerable and critical booths and there would be additional vigil in these places. As many as 996 presiding officers, 996 assistant presiding officers, 1,367 security personnel, 952 Group D employees, 206 micro observers and 1,972 booth officers would be pressed into service on the polling day.

The administration had distributed voter slips to 99.05 % voters. The booth-level officers would be present at the help desk at polling booths. Electronic Voting Machines along with VVPATs had been arranged for polling in the district. The first and second rounds of randomisation of EVMs had been done in the presence of political parties and candidates.

The administration had received 222 complaints on C-Vigil app. Of them, 178 cases had been investigated and disposed of, while 44 were dummy cases. Action had been taken on 166 cases within 100 minutes.

As many as 1,513 calls had been received on the voter helpline and all of them were attended to. Of the 97 complaints received on NGRS portal, 90 had been disposed of.

Security stepped up

Udupi Superintendent of Police Nisha James said that tight security arrangements had been made for the smooth conduct of parliamentary elections in the four Assembly constituencies of Udupi-Chikkamagaluru parliamentary constituency in Udupi district.

Addressing presspersons here, Ms. James said that of the 865 polling booths in the four Assembly constituencies of Udupi, Kundapur, Karkala and Kaup in the district, 685 were normal, while 36 booths were in the naxalite-affected areas.

Personnel from the Police Department, Home Guards, Forest, four units of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), two companies of Indo-Tibetan Border Police, were being deployed in the district.

Already the police along with the Anti-Naxalite Force (ANF) had taken up combing operations eight times in the naxalite-affected areas.

As regards firearms, of a total of 3,733 arms, 3,696 have been deposited, while 29 had been exempted, one impounded and while licenses of six arms holders were cancelled and one case was pending as the permit holder was abroad, she said.

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News Network
April 15,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 15: With the reporting of the death of an 80-yr-old female from Hirebagewadi taluk in Belagavi district, the number of persons, who were died due to COVID-19 related disease, increased to 12, in Karnataka on Wednesday.

According to official sources, the deceased was a relative of another COVID-19 infected person, was succumbed to death this morning at a designated Hospital in Belagavi district.

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News Network
February 16,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 16: Deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi’s election to the lone vacant council seat, for which a bypoll has been called, is only a formality as the only other candidate in the contest, independent BR Anil Kumar, dropped out on Saturday.

Kumar conveyed his decision to council secretary and returning officer Vishalakshmi. He decided to withdraw from the February 17 bypoll after failing to get support from Congress and JD(S) legislators.

The bypoll was necessitated after sitting member Rizwan Arshad of Congress resigned as he moved to the legislative assembly as an MLA. Rizwan won the Shivajinagar bypoll in December last year.

“Since the notification on candidates in the fray, after the last date of withdrawal, has already been published, irrespective of any candidate’s retirement, the election has to be conducted,” an official said.

Savadi’s victory was always assured as BJP has 119 members in the House.

Still, Ramanagara BJP district president Rudresh and MP BY Raghavendra reportedly approached Kumar, urging him to withdraw. Kumar, however, denied that he was persuaded by BJP.

“I entered the fray thinking secular parties and likeminded MLAs will support me, but that didn’t happen, so I decided to retire,”he said.

A section of Congress and JD(S) politicians, led by former minister HD Revanna, had persuaded Kumar to enter the contest with the hope that disgruntlement among some BJP legislators over Savadi’s promotion as the deputy CM would result in an upset.

Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy also offered to support Kumar. Siddaramaiah of Congress refused to do the same. Congress and JD(S) did not field any candidates of their own as they don’t have the requisite numbers in the House.

Savadi must get elected to the council before February 20, otherwise he will lose his cabinet role. According to rules, a person who is not a member of either House should get elected within six months after becoming a minister. Savadi took oath on August 20 last year.

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News Network
February 3,2020

Mumbai, Feb 3: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has accused the BJP-led central government of siding with Karnataka in the Supreme Court over the Belgaum border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra.

"I am committed toward a unified Maharashtra... Whatever is happening in Belgaum is shocking. I will meet the committee looking after this matter. The central government is a guardian of all states and is expected to be unbiased towards all states, but it is shocking that Centre is taking sides with Karnataka in Supreme Court for last the five years. This is really shocking," Thackeray said in an interview with Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana.

On December 7 last year, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had chaired a high-level meeting over the border dispute between the two states.

It was decided in the meeting that attempts will be made to get fast track hearing on the border issue in the Supreme Court.

Earlier on January 19, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had said that Belgaum border dispute between Karnataka and Maharashtra is a long-pending dispute but can be resolved if Union Home Minister wants.

"If Home Ministry can resolve Kashmir issue and abrogate Article 370 then I think this border issue can be resolved too if Amit Shah wants. The matter comes under the Home Ministry. It is a long-pending issue. He should pay attention to this too," he said while speaking to ANI in Belagavi.

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