Polling officials leave for their booths after collecting EVMs and other voting material, in Bengaluru, on Tuesday. (PTI)
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar urged young and urban electors in the IT capital of the country to take inspiration from elderly voters such as 103-year-old Mahadeva Mahalinga Mali and participate in the festival of democracy
A day ahead of the polling in Karnataka, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday urged over 5.3 crore electors in the state, especially 11.71 lakh first-time voters, to “participate enthusiastically” in the elections to the 224 assemblies.
In a statement, Kumar urged young and urban electors in the IT capital of the country to take inspiration from elderly voters such as 103-year-old Mahadeva Mahalinga Mali and participate in the festival of democracy, defeating the prevalent trend of urban apathy in the state.
Polling is scheduled across 58,545 polling stations, including auxiliary centres, on May 10.
Last week, Kumar had thanked Mali, who cast his vote from his home at Chikkodi in Belagavi, calling it an inspiration to young voters.
“The CEC also thanked over 76,000 senior citizens (80+) and 18,800 Persons with Disability (PwD) voters, who cast votes using Home Voting Facility provided by the Commission,” an official statement reads.
There are over 5.3 crore registered electors in the state, with almost equal men (2.66 crore) and women electors (2.63 crore). Further, more than 5.71 lakh PwDs, 12.15 lakh 80+ senior citizens and 16,000+ centenarian voters are registered in the state.
“CEO and DEOs have been instructed to provide all facilities across more than 58K polling booths set up across 224 constituencies. Specifically, 996 women managed booths, 239 booths managed by PwD, 286 managed by youths, 737 theme based and ethnic polling stations,” the CEC said.
Basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets, ramps, wheelchair, electricity, volunteers, shades, help desks and parking facilities have been provided at all polling stations.
Earlier during the day, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said pre-poll seizures in Karnataka have jumped 4.5 times compared to the 2018 assembly election as several agencies have seized cash, liquor, drugs and freebies worth Rs 375 crore.
Till Monday, cash worth Rs 147 crore was seized, along with precious metals worth Rs 96.60 crore. At least 22 lakh litres of liquor worth Rs 84 crore and drugs and freebies worth Rs 24 crore each have also been recovered, the ECI data shows.
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