Polling in the Legislative Council elections was slow in the morning in Belagavi on Monday. But it picked up by evening.
Officials estimated that around 80% voting was recorded in the West Teachers Constituency while around 60% of graduates in the North West Graduates Constituency came out to vote. The actual figures could be higher, they say.
There were no untoward incidents anywhere in Belagavi, Vijayapura or Bagalkot districts.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Anil Benake violated the model code of conduct when he entered a booth and spoke to polling officials in Visveswaraya Nagar. He also used his mobile phone to make calls to his acquaintances. Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil said that a case will be registered once the polling officers filed a complaint.
Member of Legislative Assembly Abhay Patil has said that the money seized by the police after a tip-off by BJP workers in Vijayapura belonged to Congress candidate Prakash Hukkeri.
Mr. Patil demanded that the Election Commission of India take action against the Congress candidate. The Congress is trying to corrupt teachers. But it will not succeed, he said.
BJP candidate Arun Shahapur also made a similar charge saying that the Congress’ illegal acts will not affect his chances.
Some people were found distributing pamphlets to voters outside the polling booth in the government school in Visveswaraya Nagar.
Regional Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas, who was inspecting booths, asked them who they were and why they were sitting there. They said that they were polling agents, but when he sought more details, they ran away. The Regional Commissioner asked the other agents as to who those persons were, but they had no answer.
In the morning, polling was slow. Only around 2% voters turned up in the polling booth at the Government Sardar’s High School Grounds in Belagavi. As many as 500 graduates and 180 teachers were registered as voters in the booth.
