BENGALURU : Elections to 3,019 gram panchayats in 117 taluks were held in the first phase on Tuesday under the COVID-19 shadow, with half of rural Karnataka casting their votes. While polling was about 80 per cent overall, it crossed 85 per cent in some districts, which is much higher than the turnout for the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
Except for a few stray incidents, where polling was disrupted for some time, the elections were by and large peaceful. The second phase of voting will be held on December 27 and counting of votes will be taken up on December 30. A total of 4,377 candidates have been elected unopposed already, officials said.
According to Karnataka State Election Commissioner Basavaraju, the voter turnout was around 80 per cent in 2015, and surprisingly this time, it is a little more. At many places like Kolar, voting was close to 90 per cent while in Hassan and Mandya districts, the turnout was over 85 per cent.
In one of the taluks in Bengaluru Rural, it even crossed 91 per cent. Dharwad, Koppal and Ballari witnessed around 80 per cent polling. “We had made all arrangements, but were apprehensive about voter turnout. Surprisingly, it crossed our expectations,’’ he remarked.
Polling staffer detained for carrying pistol
Voters, who included the aged, the physically challenged, women and the youth, had to walk some distance to reach polling stations. Farmers and farm labourers took a break from harvesting work and went to polling booths.
Somavva, mother of late Union Minister Suresh Angadi, who is in her late 80s, too cast her vote. Politicians including KPCC president DK Shivakumar cast his vote at Doddalahalli in Kanakapura while Agriculture Minister BC Patil voted at Hirekerur in Chitradurga district.
Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh cast her vote at Maddur while Pontiff Shivamurthy Murughrajendra Swamiji voted in Chitradurga. At many polling stations, COVID-19 patients were also allowed to vote. The election this time also witnessed many firsts.
Voters of Tidigol-Nidigol in Sindanur taluk of Raichur district and Hangaraki in Dharwad taluk voted for the first time since they became Gram Panchayats in 1993. All these years, members were elected unopposed. For voters of seven villages in Koratagere taluk of Tumakuru district and Doddaballapura in Bengaluru Rural district, it was the last election as the villages will be submerged for an irrigation project.
A polling staffer was detained at Desur village in Belagavi for carrying a pistol inside a polling booth. "We will conduct election for this Panchayath in the second phase," Election Commissioner Basavaraju said. At Rudrapatna village in Hassan district, there was a tussle between police and the villagers over distribution of food.