Karwar: “Open campaigning by political parties for the Lok Sabha elections will conclude on April 21 at 6:00 pm. Campaigners who are not voters of the constituency must walk out of the constituency 48 hours before the polling. However, candidates can continue door-to-door campaigning after seeking permission from the assistant election officers,” said District Returning Officer K Harishkumar.
Speaking at a press conference in Karwar on Saturday, Harishkumar said that discussions related to the election, campaign material, advertisement, interview, poll-related opinions and analysis in the media has been prohibited for 48 hours before the elections. Sale of liquor has also been banned.
Mobile, cameras restricted
“Voters are not allowed to carry mobile phones and cameras to the polling booths on April 23. Using them will amount to the violation of the People’s Representation Act. In case, the voters still manage to use it, the officers on election duty can check it and also seize it, if needed,” Harishkumar clarified.
He instructed that political parties or candidates cannot arrange for transportation facilities for voters on the day of polling. The candidate, agents of political parties and workers can use one vehicle each but not more than five people can travel in it.
Movement of vehicles in 200 metres radius around the polling booth has been prohibited.
Campaigning in 100 metre radius around the polling booth is also not allowed. Polling agents can only put a table, two chairs, one umbrella and a banner of 3X1.5 feet size outside the polling booth. But agents cannot use mobile phones.
Tight security
Superintendent of Police Vinayak Patil gave information about the security arrangements.
He said that around 3,300 police men and other security personnel have been deputed on election duty across Uttara Kannada district on April 23. This includes 10 DySPs, 23 inspectors, 48 PSIs, 111 ASIs, 1,059 senior constables, 1,000 Home Guards, 12 troops of District Armed Reserve Forces, seven companies with 300 members of Central Reserved Forces.
Patil said, webcasting will be done at 80 polling booths and videographying at 30 polling booths. Micro observers have been deputed in 200 polling booths.
Cases filed
Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Committee Chairman Mohammed Roshan said that after the Moral Code of Conduct came into force in the district, 25 FIRs and 133 other cases have been filed. Rs 26.25 lakh cash and 32,680 litre illicit liquor have been seized in some of these cases. Total seized materials and cash amount to Rs 62.04 lakh. This apart, campaign materials, vehicles, gold ornaments and other materials worth Rs 2.81 crore including sarees meant for distribution among voters worth Rs 53 lakh, have been seized.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Nagaraj Singrer, IAS Probationary Dileesh Sasi and others are seen.