53 sensitive booths in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi

Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner Mullai Muhilan MP said all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure smooth conduct of the byelection to the Karnataka legislative council from the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Local Authorities' Constituency on Monday. The polling will take place from 8am to 4pm.
Out of the 392 polling booths in the constituency, 53 were identified as sensitive.These booths will have complete video recording arrangements and additional police security. Micro-observers will be appointed at polling booths with more than 20 voters. CCTV cameras in the respective gram panchayats and urban local bodies will be utilised for monitoring the election process. The constituency has a total of 6,032 voters, with 3,552 in Dakshina Kannada district and 2,480 in Udupi district.
The election will be conducted by polling officers and assistant polling officers, while micro-observers will be deployed for polling booths. The counting of votes will take place at St Aloysius Pre-University College in Mangaluru on Oct 24, he said.
To ensure security, a total of 540 police officers and personnel have been deployed in Dakshina Kannada district, and 328 in Udupi district. Section 163 of the BNSS has been invoked, issuing prohibitory orders in the areas surrounding the polling booths. More than five people will not be allowed to gather near the polling stations, and holding processions, meetings, and carrying weapons have been banned. However, prohibitory orders will not be applicable for funerals, marriages, and religious processions, but people should ensure that the model code of conduct is not violated during such programmes.
Preferential voting
Voters must cast their vote on the ballot paper using the violet pen provided at the polling booth. The first preference vote should be marked as '1' in English, Kannada, or Roman numerals for the candidate they are voting for.
The preferences must be marked using numerals like 1, 2, 3 in order, and words should not be used to indicate preferences. If a different pen or marking tool is used, the ballot paper will be considered invalid. Voters have already been informed about this, and mobile phones are not allowed at the polling booths.
The candidates in the poll fray are Kishore BR (BJP), Raju Poojary (Congress), Anwar Sadath S (SDPI), and Dinakar Ullal (independent).