The first phase of election to 3,019 Gram Panchayats in Karnataka got underway on Tuesday amidst precautions in the light of COVID-19.
According to the State Election Commission, there are 1,17,383 candidates in the fray for 48,048 seats.
The voting began at 7 a.m. and will conclude at 5 p.m. COVID-19 patients and those who are suspected to have the infection are allowed to vote in the last one hour. In the light of COVID-19, the number of voters in each booth have been reduced from 1,500 to 1,000 and anganwadi and ASHA workers along with Health Department officials have been roped in for poll duty.
The election to four constituencies in Ballari was countermanded following reports of auction of the seats. There have been other instances of seats being auctioned too. Some of the districts recorded a high number of unanimous election of candidates.
The second phase of polling is on December 27. In both phases, 2.96 crore electors will vote to elect 92,121 members for Gram Panchayat across Karnataka. The results will be announced on December 30.
Though GP polls are fought on a non-partisan basis, polls are crucial for parties to provide strength in the coming elections to taluk and zilla panchayats and State Assembly elections in 2023.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
