Mandya: Deputy Commissioner Dr M V Venkatesh has informed that the K R Pet by-poll campaigning will end on Tuesday, December 3, at 6 PM, after which no political parties will be allowed to campaign.
Speaking to the media on Monday, December 2, he said, “All arrangements for the smooth conduct of the electoral process in the K R Pet constituency are in place. The polling booths will be open from 7 AM to 6 PM on Thursday, December 5. As the election campaign will end tomorrow at 6 PM, no political leader will be allowed to stay in the constituency. We have also ordered all the boarding and lodging owners about the same and have instructed them to ask the political leaders and party workers to vacate the constituency.”
“No loud speakers will be allowed during the 48 hours before polling and no exit polls will be entertained until the smooth flow of polling begins for 30 minutes on the polling date. Opinion polls will also not be entertained during the 48 hours before polls begin,” he added.
Throwing light on the arrangements being made, DC Venkatesh said, “There are a total of 258 polling booths to which we have assigned 290 presiding officers, 293 assistant polling officials and 580 polling officials. Polling booth number 53 and 141 have been identified as “Sakhi” polling booths. Women officials have been deployed at these two booths. For specially-abled persons, a special polling booth with the serial number 128 has been installed. In order to attract the voters, as well as to provide necessary facilities to the electorates, we have established eight model polling booths.”
“Help desk arrangements have been made for every polling booth, which will be 100 meters away from the respective booths. The M3 version of EVMs along with VVPATs will be used. This will have the photographs of the candidates. Indelible ink will be put on the index finger of the left hand. Electorates will also be allowed to use the NOTA option,” he added.
He also informed that mobile phones and cameras are strictly prohibited in and around the polling booths.
He further said, “Around 52 polling booths have been identified as sensitive and 13 as highly sensitive, for which we have beefed up the security. Video recordings will be made in 10 polling booths. Micro observers have been appointed for 45 polling booths and a team of the para military force will be deployed to all the polling booths.”
“Candidates can install help desks 200 meters away from the polling booths. Such help desks will be provided with one desk and a chair,” he informed.
DC Venkatesh also said that a holiday will be declared for all schools, colleges, government and private offices on December 5 and that the private companies have been instructed to provide a paid holiday for labourers and employees who are working outside the K R Pet constituency.
Informing about the seizure of cash transported illegally, he said, “At the Maddur checkpost, Rs 52.60 lakhs in cash was seized. It is said that the cash belonged to a person from Hosur in Tamil Nadu. The Income Tax Department officials have been directed to investigate the matter and take stringent action. Till date, we have seized Rs 63,54,570 in cash.”
“On Sunday, December 1 we had received information that a car was stopped at a checkpost at 7.30 PM. At that point in time, all the officials had rushed to the spot, but interestingly found nothing. We found out that it belonged to a person, who was from Holenarasipur and that he had come to participate in the election campaign,” he added.
Speaking about the counting process he said, “The counting of votes will be held on December 9 at the Government Polytechnic College. A 14-table arrangement has been made for the counting process. The postal ballot counting will begin at 7.59 AM and by 11 AM, one will get a clear picture of the results.”
Superintendent of Police K Parashuram and District Information officer Harish were present.
