The elections for 200 urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State is expected to be held in January 2013.
Announcing this at a programme organised by the Election Commission of India to mark the National Voters' Day, in Bangalore on Wednesday, Commissioner for State Election Commission C.R. Chikkamath pointed out that the term of ULBs in the State would expire in February 2013 and March 2013.
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The State Election Commission had already taken up measures with the Urban Development Department to ensure that the process of finalisation of delimitation and fixing of ward reservations are completed by October 2012 so that the elections for these bodies can be held in January 2013, Mr. Chikkamath said.
National Voters' Day
Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, who inaugurated the programme, expressed concern over the use of caste, religion and language issues to win elections.
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“If the country is divided on the basis of caste, religion or language, then whatever we have achieved in the past will be lost,” he said, and cautioned “wherever the society is divided by caste and religious considerations, there is no future”. He decried the wrongful use of money during elections.
He stressed the need to bring about changes to the electoral system to ensure that more people take part in polling.
All through the year
Stressing the need for all eligible voters to enrol themselves in the voters' list and get electoral photo identity cards,
Chief Electoral Officer C.S. Suranjana sought to drive home a message that enrolment of voters was a continuous activity which could be taken up at any time of the year, contrary to public perception that it would be done only before polls or at a certain time in a year.
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The Election Commission releases television advertisements in this regard to create public awareness about the fact that voters' enrolment could be taken up at any time of the year.