Karnataka Legislative Council Election: Polling Begins for Four Seats
Polling for four seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council started at 8 am, with security measures tightened across all constituencies. Two of the seats fall under graduate constituencies, while the other two belong to teacher constituencies. Forty-three candidates are contesting, which has made the election a closely watched affair. Voters are electing members who will represent them in the upper house.
The four constituencies going to the polls are Bengaluru Teachers, North-East Teachers, West Graduates and South-East Graduates. Results will be announced on October 27. This is the first election for the Karnataka Congress under the leadership of its president, B.K. Hariprasad, who is himself a Legislative Council member. Five of the 75 seats in the council are currently vacant.
Four seats are being fought hard between the ruling Congress and the opposition NDA. In South-East Graduates, Congress's Shashi Hulikunte Math will face BJP's K.M. Suresh. In West Graduates, Congress's Mohan Limbikai is in a direct contest with BJP's Sankanur S.V.
In North-East Teachers, Congress's Sharanappa Mattur is pitted against BJP's Shashil G. Namoshi. In Bengaluru Teachers, Congress's Puttanna is competing with JD(S)'s A.P. Ranganath.
To ensure polling is peaceful and fair, police have made stringent arrangements and are keeping a close watch to avert any unpleasant incident.
A scuffle, however, took place between Congress and BJP workers near a polling station at Ambedkar College in Nagarabhavi during voting for the Bengaluru Teachers constituency. Former corporator Mohan Kumar was accused of using abusive language with people. The police intervened and erected barricades to restore order.
Voting in the Bengaluru Teachers constituency was brisk from the morning, with teachers reaching polling stations to exercise their right to vote. Voters were seen queuing up at a polling station in Doddaballapur taluk of Bengaluru Rural district.
The district has a total of 2,863 registered teacher voters, including 1,411 men and 1,452 women. Six polling stations have been created in the district to conduct the poll smoothly.
In the North-East Teachers constituency, voting began in Raichur amid strict security, where 16 polling stations have been set up. District Deputy Commissioner Puvita S. visited different polling stations, reviewed the arrangements and monitored the polling process.