Assembly elections: Clashes, skirmishes keep election officials busy in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Incidents of minor clashes, skirmishes, and fights between workers of political parties were reported at many places across the state, although polling for assembly elections in Karnataka, by and large, went off peacefully on Wednesday.
In Masabinal village in Vijayapura district, a mob destroyed electronic voting machines (EVMs) and VVPATs (voter-verifiable paper audit trails), manhandled an official, and damaged a vehicle carrying reserved EVMs. Police said the villagers went berserk, thinking officials were changing EVMs and VVPATs to rig results. Police arrested 23 people in connection with the incident.
The Election Commission said in a statement that villagers stopped asection officer’s vehicle, which was carrying reserved EVMs, and damaged two control and ballot units and three VVPATs.
Vijayakumar Danammanavar, Vijayapura deputy commissioner, and HD Anandkumar, SP, rushed to the village which falls under Basavana Bagewadi assembly segment. “Action will be taken against all responsible for the incident,” the DC said. In Hegganur in Kanakapura, Congress and JD(S) workers exchanged blows over missing names from voters’ list, while BJP and JD(S) workers fought in Betageri village in Koppal district over a JD(S) functionary seeking votes near the polling station.
A clash also broke out between BJP and Congress workers in Sanjeevarayanakote village in Ballari Rural segment. Local functionary Umesh Gowda, who left BJP and joined Congress recently, suffered a head injury in the incident. The reason for the clash was a trivial one, police said.
BJP and Congress workers engaged in a verbal duel in Varuna after Congress workers tried to stop BJP candidate and housing minister V Somanna from entering a polling station. Police intervened and cooled tempers.