95 per cent polling in Council election

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELLARY, MAY 11. Brisk polling was recorded in the byelections to the Legislative Council from the Bellary local authorities constituency on Friday.

An estimated 95 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in eight taluks -- seven in Bellary District and one in Davangere District (Harpanahalli taluk, which is part of Bellary Lok Sabha constituency).

Byelection from the constituency was held to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. T.S. Mrutyunjayappa.

According to preliminary reports reaching the district headquarters, polling exceeded 90 per cent in all the taluks. When polling came to a close at 4 p.m., Hospet had recorded the highest of 99.5 per cent and Sirguppa Hagari Bommanahalli 99 per cent.

Members of Parliament, the Legislative Assembly, the Legislative Council, zilla panchayat, the town panchayats of Sandur and Kudligi and taluk and panchayats from the district formed the electorate of 3,439 voters. Polling exceeded the 60 per cent mark by noon in all the taluks. At the headquarters of the Amarapur Gram Panchayat in Bellary taluk, 14 out of 17 members had cast their vote before noon.

The KPCC President, Mr. Allum Veerbhadrappa, the Minister of State for Rural Development Mr. M. Diwakar Babu, and Mr. K.C. Kondaiah and Mr. H.G. Ramulu, MPs, were among the senior leaders of the Congress to exercise their franchise at the polling booth in Bellary city.

Mr. M.Y. Ghorpade, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, cast his vote in his home town of Sandur.

Mr. Yerriswamy of the BJP, who is a member of the Zilla Panchayat, was the only candidate among the three in the fray who was eligible to exercise his franchise.

Mr. K. Niranjan Naidu, Congress candidate, met the senior leaders of the party whey came to the polling booth.

Counting of votes will be held on Sunday at the Government Degree College in Bellary city.

Mr. Shivaprakash, election agent for the candidate of the Janata Dal (United), Dr. K.B. Basappa, alleged impersonation by a person minutes before the close of polling. He alleged that a

police officer intervened and pushed him aside while he and his party's polling agent objected.

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