Council polls: Almost all vote, results on Dec. 15

More than 97 per cent exercise franchise in elections to 25 seats from local bodies constituencies, polling peaceful

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Bengaluru: The Legislative Council polls to 25 seats from the local bodies constituencies passed off peacefully without any untoward incident with the fate of 90 candidates sealed in ballot boxes.

Over 97 per cent of the total 98,846 voters who are members of local bodies, exercised their franchise. The counting of votes will be taken up on December 15.

While the BJP and Congress have fielded 20 candidates each, the Janata Dal (Secular) has fielded six candidates. Ruling party leader in the Legislative Council and Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Deputy Chairman M.K.Pranesh, BJP Chief whip Mahantesh Kavatagimath and KPCC Working President Salim Ahmed are among the candidates fighting the polls. Polling took place in Bidar, Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Dharwad, Raichur, Ballari, Chitradurga, Shivamogga, Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Tumakuru, Mandya, Bengaluru, Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Kodagu and Mysuru districts beginning at 8 am and ending at 5 pm. The police had made elaborate security arrangements at the polling stations as a precaution.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Union Minister for Coal, Mining and Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi, former CM B.S.Yediyurappa, JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC President D.K.Shivakumar exercised their franchise in their respective constituencies. The voters in this election are MPs, MLAs, MLCs and the elected representative of urban local bodies and Panchayat Raj institutions. Each voter has to give preferential votes to the candidates. There were complaints of a few voters displaying their preference to the candidate of their choice in some districts. The authorities have been urged to reject such votes as it amounts to violation of rules. A member of Bommanahalli Town Municipality came in an ambulance from a hospital to cast her vote. She was admitted to the hospital on Thursday.