MYSORE: Amid apprehensions of violence and electoral malpractices, the 3.68 lakh eligible voters of Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysore are expected to cast their votes across 346 polling booths spread over 14 wards of Mysore City Corporation and 164 villages of Mysore taluk from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is seeking re-election as a Congress candidate, is engaged in a prestigious battle with the ruling Janata Dal (Secular), which has fielded Shivabasappa. Twelve other candidates, including former MLA and Janata Dal (United) candidate A.S. Guruswamy and Samajwadi Party candidate B Karunakar are in the fray.

Anticipating trouble during the polling process, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 in the constituency from 4 p.m. on Saturday to midnight on Thursday, the day of counting of votes.

Deputy Commissioner of Mysore Selva Kumar, who is also the District Election Officer, told The Hindu that the prohibitory orders would not apply to the voters, election personnel, candidates and their polling agents.

The authorities had imposed prohibitory orders followed widespread defiance of the Election Commission's directives to the supporters and activists of various political parties, who had come for campaigning in the constituency, to leave the assembly segment by 5 p.m. on Saturday.

"With the elections to Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency becoming a prestige issue for Congress and the JD (S), there is a possibility of workers of both the parties resorting to intimidation, rioting, clashes and prevent free and fair polls. Hence, prohibitory orders will be in force to ensure peace during polling on December 4 and counting on December 7," said a statement from Commissioner of Police Pravin Sood.

About 6,000 security personnel drawn from Central paramilitary forces, Karnataka State Reserve Police force, District Armed Reserve and City police will be deployed for election duty.

Out of the 346 polling booths spread across the constituency, 193 booths are located in the limits of Mysore City. Out of the 193 booths, 153 have been classified as hyper-sensitive and the remaining are classified as sensitive.

In rural parts of Mysore, a total of 153 booths have been located out of which 79 are hyper-sensitive and 56 are sensitive.

Of the 346 polling booths in the constituency, only eight booths are classified as normal.

Out of the total 3.68 lakh voters, 1.51 lakh voters reside in the limits of Mysore City Corporation.

The remaining voters are from rural parts of the constituency.

Meanwhile, mustering of polling officers was held at Maharani's Arts and Science College in Mysore on Sunday. A total of 1,524 Government officials have been deputed for election duty.

They were given election materials including electronic voting machines (EVMs) and have been directed to report at the designated polling stations on Sunday.

The polling officials collected the electronic voting machines and other election material and went in the vehicles assigned for them.

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