Lok Sabha elections 2019: Karnataka will vote in two phases on April 18 and 23

BENGALURU: Karnataka, which has 28 Lok Sabha constituencies, will vote in two phases. While 14 seats in South Karnataka will go to polls in the second phase on April 18, the remaining seats in North Karnataka will witness polling in the third phase on April 23, Chief Election Commissioner Sanjiv Kumar announced on Sunday evening.

Out of the 28 seats, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Chitradurga, Chamarajanagar and Kolar are reserved for SC candidates while Raichur and Ballari are reserved for ST candidates. The two-phased polls, the CEO said, was owing to shortage of central security forces. “We will get 15 companies of central reserve force. There is difficulty in mobilising bigger numbers,” Kumar said, justifying the need for polls in two phases in Karnataka.

As per the revised electoral rolls in January 2019, Karnataka has a total of 5,03,46,721 voters including 2,54,94,711 males, 2,48,47,292 females and 4,718 others. A total of  58,186 polling booths will be set up across the state out of which 600 will be all-women ‘pink booths’. About 28 booths run by differently-abled persons will also be set up across the state. “Sturdy ramps for the convenience of differently-abled electors with wheelchairs, magnifying glass, sign interpreters and transport from home to polling booth and back will be provided,” said Sanjiv Kumar, reiterating that the transport facility for the differently abled was the first of its kind.

Voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines will be used in every polling booth. Instead of five polling personnel, only four will man each polling booth this time. District commissioners and bureaucrats have been instructed via video-conferencing to implement the model code of conduct immediately. The cap on election expenditure per candidate has been fixed at Rs 70 lakh while parties have no such limit, Sanjiv Kumar said. 

Around 5,000 polling stations and all the counting halls will have web-casting facility while CCTVs and videography will also be allowed for constant monitoring of the booths, Sanjiv Kumar said. With the aim of conducting an eco-friendly election, the commission has asked candidates and parties to avoid using environmentally hazardous materials like plastics, polythene, etc., for preparation and publicity. The use of loudspeakers is banned between 10 pm and 6 am. Any money spent on paid news shall not only be counted under election expenditure, but all those involved will face action for electoral malpractice.

A mobile application, cVIGIL,  has been launched for citizens to report incidents of malpractice. “Complaints filed through the app will go directly to the control room which will, in turn, alert the nearest flying squad. The team will arrive at the spot within 15 minutes and in a span of 100 minutes a report will be filed about the incident,” Kumar said. Voter helpline 1950 will be applicable across the state for any inquiry or complaints.

SUVIDHA, a single-window system for giving election-related permission/clearance within 24 hours has been created for political parties and candidates to apply for campaign permissions. Registered service voters can use One-way ‘Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot’ to cast their ballot. The e-postal ballot can be printed and used to cast vote after which it will be sent back to Returning Officer by post. E-Atlas, a new innovation, GIS-based planning, implementation and monitoring of various elections-related activities are being implemented in Karnataka for election planning. All the 58,186 polling stations and parts of the state are mapped and is put in the public domain in the Karnataka Election Information System. The services of navigation and finding the assembly constituency is integrated with this mapping exercise, Kumar added.