The Mysuru district administration on Monday announced that it has taken all necessary steps for free, fair and peaceful by-election in Hunsur assembly constituency which is going to polls on December 5 (Thursday).
As many as 2,27,974 voters, including 1,14,580 men and 1,13,388 women, would exercise their franchise. The polling in 274 booths will take place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. A total of 329 presiding officers, 329 assistant presiding officers and 658 polling officers have been appointed to 274 booths. All of them had been trained in two phases.
Transportation has been arranged for the polling staff hailing from K.R. Naggar, Periyapatna and H.D. Kote to the mustering centre in Hunsur, from the taluk offices in the respective towns. As many 45 buses, three mini-buses and one MUV will be leaving the mustering centre to the respective polling booths on December 4 at 6 a.m.
Mustering, de-mustering and counting will take place at D. Devaraj Urs Government First Grade College in Hunsur. The EVMs are at the Hunsur City Municipal Council building with round-the-clock security and CCTV surveillance, said Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar here on Monday.
Mr. Sankar said the election campaign will conclude on Tuesday (December 3) at 6 p.m. – 48 hours before the bypolls. In the 48 hours from 6 p.m. of December 3, no campaigning should take place and publicity on print and electronic media was strictly barred as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India. Section 144 Cr.Pc will be in force in the constituency from 6 p.m. on December 3 to midnight of December 5.
Those who are not from Hunsur constituency were supposed to leave to their respective places from the segment. They annot indulge in any campaigning. No campaign can take place within the constituency. The presence of political functionaries, party workers and procession functionaries, campaigning functionaries who have been brought from outside the constituency and who are not voters of the constituency, will not be allowed as their continued presence after the campaigning period ended may undermine the atmosphere for free and fair polls, according to the guidelines.
Steps have been taken to provide wheelchairs and magnifying glasses to all booths. The Hunsur Taluk Panchayat executive officer has been named nodal officer for making transportation arrangements for people with disabilities and senior citizens.
Village resource workers (VRWs) have been appointed to each booth to identify people with disabilities and have been asked to pick and drop them in autorickshaws to the polling booth.
Carrying mobile phones and cameras is barred inside the booths.
Meanwhile, the election authorities and the police have kept a strict vigil at check-posts for the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. The check-posts are functioning at Manuganagalli, Veeranahosahalli, Chilkunda, Gavadagere, Mutturayanahosaghalli, Dodde Koppal, Alvaalu, Shanthipura and Shirenahalli.
A holiday has been declared in Hunsur taluk to facilitate voters to exercise their franchise. The holiday will also apply to those who hail from Hunsur and work outside the taluk in the district for casting their ballot. Dry days have been declared from 6 p.m. on December 3 to midnight of December 5. The village fairs in Hunsur taluk scheduled on December 5 also stand postponed.
