Karnataka - Bangalore

Steps under way to ensure free, fair polls

Bangalore: There are 483 hyper-sensitive and 195 sensitive polling booths among the 793 polling booths covering four Assembly constituencies in Bangalore Rural district.

Besides deploying of Central Reserve Police Force personnel and micro-observers in such booths, arrangements had been made for video recording of the polling process, said District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner S. Selvakumar. As many as 20 cases of violation of the model code of conduct had been registered in the district.

Of these, eight were criminal offences. As many as 47 vehicles which were being used illegally during the campaign had been seized, he said.

Meanwhile, Bangalore Urban district Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer M.A. Sadiq has suspended licences of 34 liquor shops in Bangalore city for violation the poll code and breaching of the conditions of licence. The State Labour Department has directed the managements of factories, industrial units, shops, commercial and other establishments to declare holiday on the day of elections (May 10, 16 and 22) in their respective regions to enable the workers exercise their franchise.

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