MCC polls draw lukewarm response

Polling for the council of the Mangaluru City Corporation was peaceful on Tuesday. There were no complaints of technical glitches in the electronic voting machines (EVMs).

There were 448 polling booths with 75 critical booths in the MCC jurisdiction.

The polling registered was 59.67% for the 60 wards of the Corporation. Out of 3,94,894 voters, 2,35,628 have exercised their right to franchise.

There were 63 transgender voters registered in the Mangaluru Corporation limits, of whom 17 transgenders cast their vote.

In 2013, the poll percentage was 63.33% with 99,570 men and 1,07,500 women out of 3,26,995 voters exercising their franchise.

Clash in Katipalla

Members of two factions of the Congress allegedly entered into an altercation at Shamshuddin Circle at Katipalla Second Block, which created tension on Monday night. The situation was brought under control by the police, who resorted to mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd.

The polling was held peacefully. Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed in the two blocks of Katipalla for security.

The Katipalla polling booth saw 2,835 voters exercise their franchise till noon.

An exchange of words between Congress and BJP workers occurred at the entrance of the Infant Mary Higher Primary School, Jeppu. The area comes under Falnir ward.

When MLC Ivan D’Souza was found appealing to people to vote for the Congress, the BJP workers objected, which led to an exchange of words from both the parties. The police, who rushed to the spot, managed to bring the situation under control.

Voters turned up in large numbers at ward number 16 Bangrakooluru and 17 Derebail at the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Govern
ment Model Higher Primary School at Kodikal.

Elders turn up

Kamala, a KSRTC staff, cast her vote, arriving in a wheelchair due to her leg injury. Vilasini Bhakta (86), was one among the senior citizens who exercised their franchise at the booth.

Senior citizens were seen taking part in the voting process, in significant numbers, in all booths on Tuesday morning.

Out of 882 voters in Baikampady ward, 200 voters exercised their franchise at the polling booth at Angaragundi school at 11 am.

A total of 543 votes were cast out of 1,332 votes in the Idya (West) ward by 12 noon at the polling booth set up at Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat Government Higher Primary School at Hosabettu.

Security was strengthened for peaceful polling. Around 754 police personnel, Home Guards, five platoons of KSRP, 10 platoons of CAR and two Rapid Action Force were deployed.

During the last Lok Sabha elections, Dakshina Kannada had registered 77.90% polling. In the Assembly election of 2018, the polling was 77.63%.