As many as 220 gram panchayats will go to the polls in Dakshina Kannada in two phases on December 22 and December 27. The notification for the first phase of elections was issued on Monday.
Addressing presspersons here on Monday, Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra said that in the gram panchayats where elections will be held in the second phase, the names in the voters’ list can be registered till December 8. The deadline for registering names in the voters’ list in the panchayats where the elections will be held in the first phase got over on December 3.
First phase
The Deputy Commissioner said that elections in the first phase, on December 22, will be conducted to 1,681 seats in 106 gram panchayats in Mangaluru, Moodbidri, and Bantwal taluks. There will be 817 polling booths in the first phase.
Nominations for the first phase polling should be submitted by December 11. They will be scrutinised on December 12. The last date for withdrawal of nominations will be December 14. If need be, re-polling will be held in the three taluks on December 24.
Second phase
He said that 114 gram panchayats in Belthangady, Puttur, Sullia, and Kadaba taluks will go to the polls on December 27. The polling will be conducted to 1,541 seats in 710 booths.
The notification for the second phase polling will be issued on December 11. Nominations will have to be filed by December 16 and they will be scrutinised on December 17. The last date for withdrawal of nominations will be December 19. If required, re-polling will be conducted on December 29.
The polling will take place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The counting in taluk headquarters will begin on December 30 from 8 a.m. The election process will get over on December 31.
Mr. Rajendra said that ballot papers will be used for the elections. In all, 2626 polling boxes have been kept ready. There will be 220 election officers and 233 assistant election officers.
Depositing arms
The Deputy Commissioner said that as per the directions of the Election Commission those who are holding guns and revolvers in the jurisdiction of gram panchayats will have to surrender them in police stations or government authorised agencies before the elections. If anybody wants an exemption to retain their guns with them to protect their crops from wild animals such persons will have to apply to the tahsildars by December 10. A screening committee, headed by tahsildars, will review the applications and recommend to the Deputy Commissioner for the exemption. The Deputy Commissioner will take a decision on the same.
The exemption is not applicable to those who are having criminal antecedents. There are about 3,000 gun and revolver licence holders in the district, he added.
