MLC elections: Counting for ST, SWT, SWG constituencies underway; JD(S) candidate leads at the end of first round

Mysuru: Counting of biennial polls for the Karnataka Legislative Council - from South Teachers, South West Teachers and SW Graduates constituencies - is underway at Maharani's Science College on JLB Road, in Mysuru, on Thursday.

JD(S) candidate K Vivekananda secured 3757 votes and is leading with a margin of 1278 votes, against Congress candidate Marithibbegowda who secured 2479 votes at the end of first round of counting of biennial polls to the Karnataka Legislative Council - from South Teachers. 401 ballot papers were rejected.

In the election of the South Teachers constituency of Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajnagar and Hassan districts, 88.07 per cent polling was registered. As many as 18,979 voters cast their votes out of a total of 21,549 voters.

Congress candidate Marithibbegowda, JD(S) candidate K Vivekananda, Karnataka Janata Paksha candidate M Nagendra Babu Madduru, Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha candidate Vatal Nagaraj, independent candidates S Anil Kumar, Kadamba Naa Ambarish, Nagamallesh, Ningaraju S Shankanapura, K C Puttasiddashetty, Dr Ha Ra Mahesh and Raju K Siddaiahnapura were in the fray.

In the election to South West Teachers constituency in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Kodagu, Shivamogga and Udupi districts, 82.56 per cent polling was registered. As many as 19,320 votes were cast out of a total of 23,402 voters.

JD(S) candidate S L Bhojegowda, Congress candidate K K Manjunath Kumar, Independent candidates, Arun Hosakoppa, Naresh Chand Hegde, Nanjesh Bennur, T Bhaskara Shetty, K K Manjunath Kumar and S R Harish Acharya were in the fray.

In the election to South West Graduates constituency in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Kodagu, Shimoga and Udupi districts, 78.19 per cent polling was registered. As many as 66,529 voters cast their votes out of a total of 85,089 voters.

Congress candidate, Aayanur Manjunatha, BJP candidate Dhananjaya Sarji, Sarva Janata Party candidate G C Patel, Independent candidates K Raghupathi Bhat, Dinakar Ullal, S P Dinesh, B Mohammed Thumbe, Sheikh Bava Mangalore, G R Shadaksharappa and Shahraz Mujahid Siddiqui were in the fray.

Strong room was opened amid tight police security in the presence of Mysuru Regional Commissioner G C Prakash by 7:45 am and the counting began around 8 am. The counting was done on 14 tables. There was one supervisor and two assistants at each table. One agent for each candidate was allowed for each table. Voting for all three constituencies were held on Monday.

In view of the counting Mysuru City Police Commissioner Ramesh Banoth had imposed Section 144 of CrPC in Mysuru city, from 6 am on Thursday to 5 pm on Friday.