As the EVMs were moved to the strong room at Government Engineering College at Devagiri on the outskirts of Haveri on Wednesday, officials have put the final polling percentage in Haveri Lok Sabha constituency at 74.01.
With this, the constituency has equalled the earlier highest percentage of 74.01 recorded in 1989 when it was known as Dharwad South.
In the 2009 elections, Haveri had recorded a polling percentage of 63.59 and the turnout increased to 71.60% in 2014. And the awareness activities under SVEEP (Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation) programme held this year further increased the tunrout to 74.01%. In a press release, head of the SVEEP committee and CEO of zilla panchayat K. Leelavathi has thanked all who actively participated in the awareness programmes.
The highs and lows
As per the official data, highest polling percentage of 80.8% has been recorded in Hanagal Assembly segment, followed by Hirekerur (78.06% ), Byadgi (77.97%), Haveri (73.63%), Gadag (72.41%), Ranebennur (71.63%), Shirahatti (69.87%), and Ron (69.59%).
Of the total 17,06,917 voters in Haveri constituency, 1,63,209, including 6,61,384 male and 6,01,825 female, voters exercised their franchise on Tuesday.
The EVMs of all the eight Assembly segments of Haveri Lok Sabha constituency will be kept under strict vigil of the Central armed paramilitary forces till the counting on May 23, Deputy Commissioner of Haveri and Election Officer Krishna Bajpai has said.
Mr. Bajpai has said that the EVMs of all the Assembly segments had been kept separately and all the rooms were under CCTV camera surveillance.
All the rooms had been sealed after closing the windows and doors, and arrangements had been made to ensure that there was no scope for any untoward incident. Apart from the Central paramilitary forces, police personnel too would be guarding the strongrooms.
Superintendent of Police for Haveri K. Parashuram said the strongrooms would be guarded round the clock by paramilitary and police forces.