The stage is set for the December 10 elections to the Legislative Council from the local authorities constituency of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi with three candidates remaining in the fray.
November 26 was the last day for withdrawal of nominations.
If Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare and the incumbent member of the council Kota Srinivas Poojary, is seeking re-election for the fourth time from the BJP, the Congress has fielded a novice in Manjunath Bhandary by replacing its incumbent member in the council K. Prathapchandra Shetty who was elected to the Council for three terms since 2003. Mr. Poojary was first elected to the council in the 2008 by-election.
The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is facing the election in the constituency for the first time by fielding Shafi Bellare as its candidate.
With the BJP and the Congress both claiming the highest number of supporters, the two parties are vying to win one seat each in the double-member constituency.
Polling will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Counting will take place on December 14 at Rosario Pre University and Degree College at Pandeshwar here.
The constituency has a total of 6,040 voters — 3,123 women and 2,917 men. Dakshina Kannada has 3,535 voters — 1,825 women and 1,710 men and Udupi has 2,505 voters — 1,298 women and 1,207 men.
It has 389 polling stations with 231 in Dakshina Kannada and 158 in Udupi. Of the total polling stations, 115 are sensitive and 29 are hypersensitive. Of the sensitive stations, 89 are in Dakshina Kannada and 26 in Udupi. Again, Dakshina Kannada has 27 hypersensitive stations and Udupi two such stations.
The Yadamoge Gram Panchayat polling station in Udupi district has the lowest number of voters at four. Polling stations at Madappady Gram Panchayat and Konaje Gram Panchayat in Dakshina Kannada have five voters each.
The polling station at Mangaluru City Corporation office has the highest voters of 68 followed by Shiruru Gram Panchyat office polling station in Udupi which has the highest 44 voters in that district.