The Hindu : Karnataka News : People’s voice: elect the better from the worst

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Saturday, May 10, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

People’s voice: elect the better from the worst

Staff Correspondent

Heavy security arrangements have been put in place

In Kolar district, 357 booths are classified as sensitive, 392 as hyper-sensitive
Among 898 booths in Chickballapur district, 256 are considered as hyper-sensitive

KOLAR: The district administration and the Police Department are geared up to hold free, fair and peaceful polls in six Assembly segments in Kolar district on Saturday.

In all, 1,163 polling booths have been set up for 9,81,985 voters to exercise their franchise. Though each and every booth has been considered sensitive according to the guidelines of the Election Commission, 357 booths in the district were classified as sensitive and 392 as hyper-sensitive. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) numbering to 1,459 will be used, official sources said.

Added security

Security has been beefed up with the services of paramilitary forces. Fourteen companies of paramilitary forces comprising 1,500 jawans have been deployed in the district, apart from as many civilian police and Home Guards.

The paramilitary forces consist of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Armed Police with expertise in handling election tasks elsewhere in the country, Superintendent of Police Seemanthkumar Singh said.

The paramilitary forces have conducted route marches and flag marches in various areas under Srinivaspur, Kolar, Mulbagal, Bangarpet, Kolar Gold Fields and Malur constituencies to instil confidence among the poeple.

Chickballapur district

About 4,500 polling staff are geared up to conduct elections in five Assembly constituencies in Chickballapur district on Saturday. About 8,18,644 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. Fifty-two candidates of various political parties and independents are in the fray in Chickballapur, Bagepalli, Sidlaghat, Gowribidnur and Chintamani segments.

There are 898 booths in the district among which 256 are hyper-sensitive, Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer K. Subodh Yadav said.

One thousand personnel comprising paramilitary forces, civil police and Home Guards have been positioned to ensure fair polls.

Democratic right

With a few hours left for voting in the first phase, some of the people told The Hindu that “it’s like being between the devil and the deep blue sea”. “We have to elect better persons among the worst candidates in the fray as almost all of them are interested in promoting their interests while neglecting the welfare of people,” they said.

“However, I will exercise my franchise since it is a right provided by the Constitution of the largest democracy in the world,” said Prameela N., a second year BA student of Government College for Women here. “I am going to vote in Assembly elections for the first time,” she said.

According to M.G. Prabhakar, president of Janapara Vedike: “The voters should consider the merit as well as programmes of the candidates and parties before casting their votes.”

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