Cong, BJP fear low voting on weekend poll; JD(S) has no complaint

Agencies
April 2, 2018

Bengaluru, Apr 2: Mainstream political parties like the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fear a lower turnout in the Karnataka assembly elections as voting is scheduled for May 12 -- a second Saturday when all government offices and quite a few in the private sector are closed.

"It would have been better if polling was on a working day than on a weekend, which can affect voter participation, especially in urban constituencies where people tend to get away because the following day is a Sunday," BJP state spokesman Vamanacharya said.

The Election Commission on March 27 announced the poll schedule for the 224 assembly segments across the southern state in mid-summer when the average day temperature is expected to be above 40 degrees Celsius.

As in the previous assembly election, held on May 5, 2013, polling will be in a single phase this time too, and the vote count is scheduled for May 15.

"Voting on a week day would have been convenient to lakhs of working people, including thousands of techies in this tech hub as they get a paid holiday to exercise their democratic right," asserted Vamanacharya.

For instance, most of the 250,000 IT professionals working in Bengaluru get away on weekends to unwind at holiday resorts, tourist spots and wildlife reserves, or go sight-seeing to the nearby Nandi Hills or visit other cities.

As India's Silicon Valley, Bengaluru is home to about 2,000 IT firms and 750 multinationals.

Second Saturday of the month is also a holiday for state government employees and banks, besides IT and biotech firms, which makes them to get away and skip voting as it may not be a priority.

Concurring with the BJP on the poll date, the ruling Congress is also wary of the weekend fallout on the voting percentage in cities like Bengaluru, which has 28 assembly segments.

"Polling on a Saturday is worrisome as it will affect the turnout at the booths, as many citizens, especially the youth, would prefer getaways than stay back and go to vote," Congress state unit vice president B.K. Chandrashekar said.

The voter turnout in the last assembly election was 71 per cent.

The Election Commission has, however, ruled out a change in the poll date, concerns of lower voter turnout notwithstanding.

"EC changing the poll date is unlikely as it is decided after factoring exams, public holidays, festivals and other events," state Additional Chief Electoral Officer K.G. Jagadeesha said.

The Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), a regional party, however, feels the BJP or Congress should not be complaining, as the poll date was decided after the EC had consulted them too.

When the poll panel consulted the parties on the poll date, BJP and Congress representatives had mentioned that any day except Sunday was suitable.

"Parties complaining is only to find an excuse for their weaknesses," JD-S state spokesman Ramesh Babu said.

Meanwhile, renowned historian Ramachandra Guha said the country had witnessed assembly polls even on a Sunday in the past.

"I don't think the day or date has much effect on the number of voters as we've seen elections with high voter percentage," Guha said candidly.

Political scientist Sandeep Shastri said it was the responsibility of the parties to get the urban electorate to vote.

The voting percentage in Bengaluru has been the lowest in the state (less than 50 per cent) for the past 35 years, as there is apathy to polling because urban voters are cynical about the politics without understanding, Shastri asserted.

"I would blame the political parties for not being able to get voters to cast their ballot by raising the right issues that concern citizens," he added.

Compared to the voter turnouts in the West, like the US (55 per cent in the 2016 presidential election), Indian states fare better, Shastri noted.

According to Srinivas Alavilli, a volunteer coordinator for Citizens for Bengaluru, a city-based people's forum, urban voters' data tends to be inaccurate with the people moving within and out of the city each year, and hence the voter turnout percentage does not often reflect the true number.

"Many people from Bengaluru don't vote because they don't see any political party addressing their issues. Through a citizens' manifesto, we have been trying to make our demands heard by political parties," Alavilli stated.

Only when political parties address the people's issues can the voter turnout go up, he averred.

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News Network
April 8,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 8: The Karnataka government is in favour of lifting the coronavirus lockdown in districts which remained free of the virus infection, subject to approval from the Centre, Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Wednesday.

In an interview to, he also said the state intended to relax liquor sales, stopped since the 21-day lockdown was imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19, after April 14 in a bid to increase state revenues.

The chief minister said the state's legislators would take a 30 per cent salary cut.

According to officials, there were no COVID-19 cases in 12 districts of the total 30 districts in the state.

As on Wednesday, there were 181 COVID-19 cases in the state, including 5 deaths and 28 discharges.

"If the Prime Minister suggests to states to take decision (on lock-down) based on the situation in their respective states, my position is to take a call (on roll-back) in districts free from COVID-19", Yediyurappa said.

This is to allow people to go about their business and move about within the district and not from one district to another, after April 14, after taking the approval of the Prime Minister, he said.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 15,2020

Mangaluru, May 15: The second evacuation flight from Dubai to Mangaluru is expected to bring nearly 180 stranded UAE Kannadigas on May 18.

Air India Express B737-800NG aircraft will take off from terminal 2 of Dubai International Airport at 1.30 pm UAE time and land in Mangaluru International Airport at 6.30 pm local time, sources said.

Mangaluru Airport had witnessed chaos when the first repatriation flight arrived on May 12. Now many passengers of the first flight tested positive for the covid-19.

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News Network
June 21,2020

Kannur, Jun 21: Customs sleuths on Sunday seized 432 grams of gold worth around Rs 20 lakh from a passenger who arrived at Kannur International Airport from Dubai in Fly Dubai flight, scheduled under Vande Bharat Mission.

Customs Assistant Commissioner E Vikas-led team seized the smuggled gold from the passenger Usman of Malappuram district and detained him, sources said.

The seized gold was kept in his inner-wear.

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