Voters at a polling booth at University College during Legislative Council elections, in Mangaluru on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Voters at a polling booth at University College during Legislative Council elections, in Mangaluru on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Voters at a polling booth at University College during Legislative Council elections, in Mangaluru on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Voters at a polling booth at Town Municipal Council office in Moodbidri on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
The Legislative Council elections went off peacefully in Dakshina Kannada on Monday with the South West Graduates’ Constituency recording 72.87% polling and South West Teachers’ Constituency reporting 75.71% polling.
The polling was held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Of 19,971 voters in the Graduates’ Constituency in the district, 14,553 voted. Of 11,596 female voters, 8,002 voted; and among 8,375 male voters, 6,551 voted. The polling was held in 24 polling stations at 14 locations, according to M. P. Mullai Muhilan, Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Election Officer.
Teachers’ Constituency
He said of a total of 8,189 voters in Teachers’ Constituency, 6,200 exercised their franchise. Of 5,539 female voters in total, 4,075 women voted; and of 2,650 male voters, 2,125 men voted. The elections were held in 16 polling stations set up in 14 locations, he said.
Though it rained while the voting was under progress at the polling stations set up at the University College in Mangaluru, people stood in queues holding umbrellas and voted. Many voters faced problems in parking their vehicles at the college which had five polling stations set up for Graduates’ Constituency and three polling booths opened under Teachers’ Constituency.
Voters’ speak
The first-time voters under the Graduates’ Constituency said that employment opportunities should be created for graduates.
Manjushree, a first-time voter in Graduates’ Constituency, who voted at the booth set up in Town Municipal Council Office in Moodbidri told the visiting journalists that the Election Commission should do away with using ballot papers in the Council polls. When ballot papers are used, the voters are likely to make more mistakes while marking the vote and there are chances of some votes getting rejected. This could be avoided by using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), she said.
Sushmitha, also a first-time voter in Graduates’ Constituency and who also voted in the same booth at Moodbidri, said that lack of employment opportunities for graduates is a major concern.
Chaithra and Nishmitha Shetty, first-time voters in Graduates’ constituency, at a polling booth at PU college, Gurupura, near Mangaluru on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Chaithra and Nishmitha Shetty, first-time voters in the Graduates’ Constituency, and who voted at the polling station at the Government Pre-University College at Gurupura said that their concern too is about lack of employment opportunities.
Prameela, a teacher and president of Mangaluru South Zone High School Assistant Teachers’ Association, said that teachers want the government to revert to the Old Pension Scheme and implement the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.
Godwin Vinay Rebello, a first-time voter in Graduates’ constituency at a polling booth at Town Panchayat office, in Mulki, near Mangaluru on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Another first-time voter Godwin Vinay Rebello of Aikala who voted under the Graduates’ Constituency at the polling station at Mulki Town Panchayat Office said that the syllabus of Commerce introduced for undergraduate courses should be made more market-friendly to enable graduates to get employment.
Voters depositing their mobile phones in front of a polling booth at Town Municipal Council office in Moodbidri on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
Voting under way at a polling booth at Town Panchayat office, in Mulki on Monday. | Photo Credit: H.S. MANJUNATH
