Karnataka: Over 500 poll code-related violations registered, ganja seized in 29 days

MYSURU: Along with beer and Indian Made Liquor (IML), 21.3kg of ganja worth Rs7.1 lakh was seized between May 12 and June 10 when model code of conduct, as part of South Graduates’ Constituency polls, was in force in the region.
Officials said 535litres of beer, and 23litres of IML worth Rs 2.3 lakh were seized in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan districts.
In Mysuru district, 16.9 kg of ganja worth Rs 4.8 lakh was seized followed by 4.1kg of ganja worth Rs 2.1 lakh in Mandya, and 0.2 grams of ganja worth Rs16,000 seized in Hassan.
Speaking to reporters, Mysuru regional commissioner GC Prakash, the election officer, informed that 516 cases related to violation of the model code of conduct were registered and 12 vehicles were impounded during the period.
Highest number of FIRs during the period were registered in Mysuru district (178 cases) followed by Chamarajanagar district with 162 cases.
According to police, FIRs were registered under the Excise Act and The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. “It is the routine checks, and owing to the election, the drive was intensified,” said the officer.
He clarified that cops have not found any evidence that the ganja seized was being used to lure graduate voters.
GC Prakash said the graduates can exercise their votes in 150 polling centres opened in the four districts on Monday between 8am and 5pm. These include 66 stations in Mysuru, 45 in Mandya, 27 in Hassan, and 12 in Chamarajanagar. The constituency has a total of 1.4 lakh graduate voters.
In Mandya district, 13 polling stations are notified as hypersensitive, while in Mysuru and Hassan districts, two centres are considered as hypersensitive. Voting from these centres will be webcast.
The counting will be held on June 15 at the Maharani Women’s Commerce and Management College in the city.
Training on vote counting
Meanwhile, training on counting votes was given to employees at the Chamundeshwari Auditorium of the regional commissioner’s office on Saturday. Regional commissioner GC Prakash, and assistant regional commissioner Shivaraj participated in the training session.