136 cases have been booked under violation of poll code of conduct

Mysore, April  21, 2013:

The District Administration is fully geared up for a smooth and transparent conduct of Assembly polls scheduled on May 5 with effective implementation of the poll code of conduct.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer (DEO) C. Shikha at a press meet here..

Giving  election-related statistics, Shikha said that 136 cases have been booked under violation of poll code of conduct and FIRs have been registered in 24 cases. The Excise squad has booked 167 cases for illegal transportation of liquor, 12 cases for erection of flex boards, 30 cases for distribution of freebies to voters and other election-related malpractices, she said.

Continuing, Shikha said as of now, after inclusions and deletions effected in voters’ lists there were 21,71,915 voters in the district and 2,578 polling booths have been assigned for them.

Shikha added that the expenses incurred by organizing mammoth processions by candidates for filing nominations would be treated as election expenditure of the concerned candidate as per the directive of the Election Commission.

She added that the indelible ink mark would be applied on the left hand ring finger during Assembly polls as the index finger was already marked in the recently held ULB elections.

Shikha also said that four cases have been booked regarding publication of paid news.  Notices have been   served to S. A Ramadas, BJP candidate , Krishnarja, Vasu , congress  candidate  from chamaraja , Shankaralinge gowda JD-S candidate for chamarjaa and Pradeep kumar, independent from Krishnaraja.  Five  stories appeared in their favour in a local news paper. Three  replies already been received by the district level monitor  committee  which would be looked after , she added.

Leader of the opposition Siddaramiah, seeking for the relection from Varuna assembly constituency has been facing as many 26 opponents including 15 independents in the May5 assembly elections. Varuna assembly constituency has  highest number of candidates  Twenty Seven while H D Kote was lowest with six candidates in the fray.

In all 160 candidates in the eleven constituencies including 55 registered parties and 66 independents. 41 candidates have been withdrawn from the contest.