Officers are gearing up for polling in the two-member Legislative Council constituency of Belagavi. On Thursday, election duty officers left for their respective polling stations across the district, with ballot papers, boxes, electoral rolls, ink and other material.
Counting of votes, scheduled for December 14, has been shifted to Chikkodi, to avoid crowding in Belagavi that will host the winter session of the State Legislature starting December 13.
Deputy Commissioner R. Venkatesh Kumar had requested the Election Commission to allow counting in Chikkodi, just as he took charge two weeks ago.
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Polling will be held in 511 polling stations, with around 3,500 personnel on duty.
Officers have also carried sanitisers, masks, face shields and other safety gear to help them conduct the polls in compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols.
Of the six candidates in the fray, three are Independents. Apart from Mahantesh Kavatagimath of the BJP, Channaraj Hattiholi of the Congress and Shankar Hegde of the Aam Aadmi Party, Lakhan Jarkiholi and two other Independents are in the fray.
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Of the three Independents, one has expressed support for the BJP.
The Deputy Commissioner has instructed all arms licence holders to deposit their weapons at the nearest police station, till the end of the election process.
However, security agencies, private security guards, gunmen of VIPs and others, who are constrained to carry arms, should approach the district-level screening committee for permission to retain them during the poll process.