The State Election Commission’s move to use electronic voting machines for the gram panchayat polls seems to have succeeded. “The experiment has been a clear success,” P.C Jaffer, Deputy Commissioner, said.
Voting went on peacefully, without any hitches across the district. By noon, most booths had recorded between 25-30 per cent voting. Only in Nandagaon village in Bhalki taluk, voting was delayed by one hour as the connection between the ballot unit and the control unit failed. The police had to use canes when supporters of two candidates clashed outside a booth in Hallikhed-B village in Humnabad taluk.
Stray incidents
In Raichur, Barring stray incidents of minor scuffles, clashes, confusion, the gram panchayat polls passed off peacefully in Raichur district on Tuesday. Polling stations across the district opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 5 p.m.
As per the latest information, 6,93,931 voters had exercised their franchises (78.24 per cent) in the district. At Kamalapur in Raichur taluk, some people failed to correctly read the electoral rolls regarding the wards and polling stations and it led to chaos for a while. But the polling officers swiftly resolved the issue.
A stone-pelting incident was reported from Devaragudda village at Palakanamaradi Gram Panchayat limits, in Deodurg taluk.
Peaceful polling
In Ballari and Koppal, the elections to 196 gram panchayats passed off peacefully.
An estimated 75 to 80 per cent of the 10.41 lakh electorate had exercised their franchise in Ballari district.
There were reports of polling getting affected due to technical issues like improper folding of ballot papers.
In Koppal district, barring instances of rival groups arguing, polling passed off without any untoward incident being reported.
Injuries, confusion
In Yadgir, the elections were peaceful barring a few incidents. At least five people were injured in a group clash in Naikal village, about 10 kilometres from here in Shahpur taluk, and the situation was brought under control by the police.
In another incident, there was confusion in ward No. 1 in Chepetla village of Yadgir taluk when a candidate’s symbol was found to be wrongly printed. The district administration has ordered for a re-poll.
64 per cent polling
In Kalaburagi, 64 per cent polling was recorded till 3 p.m. and it is expected to touch 75 per cent at 5 p.m.
There are 11,56,146 eligible voters in the district . Polling was held to elect 4,214 members in 243 gram panchayats in Kalaburagi district. A total of 10,319 contenders are in fray.
