Bengaluru, November 2: The voting for the by-election to three Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies in the state would be held on November 3 from 7 am and the Election Commission has made all preparation for conducting smooth and fair election.

The by-election which is considered as the referendum for the forthcoming Lok Sabha election, created a tough fight between Congress-JDS and opposition BJP and tried to woo the voters in their own way.

The voter would seal the fate of candidates VS Ugrappa, J Shanta, Madhu Bangarappa, BY Raghavendra, LR Shivarame Gowda, Dr Siddaramaiah, Anitha Kumaraswamy, Anand Nyama Gowda and Srikanth Kulkarni in the EVMs on November 3.

Total 6453 polling booths including 57 pink polling stations in Ballary, Shivamogga, Mandya, Ramanagara and Jamakhandi constituencies and 1502 sensitive polling stations were set up. Along with the local police, 39 platoons of central reserve police force were deployed for the duty.

Total 9822 ballot units, 8438 control units and 8922 VVPAT machines were being used for the voting and web-casting would be done in 130 polling stations and 1312 micro observers were appointed, the Election Commission said.

Total 54.54 lakh voters including 27.21 lakh male and 27.30 female voters would cast their votes in five constituencies. For the first time, vehicle facility was made for physically disabled voters to come to polling stations and vote.

Drilling for winning

In order to woo the electorate, the candidates, local leaders have been visiting the houses in the last day of campaigning. They have also been trying to woo the voters in the last moment with all means. Following possible distribution of money and liquor by the candidates, the Election Commission is keeping a strict vigil on the activities of the political leaders and took many people who tried to distribute money and liquor to the voters into custody.

As Ramanagara BJP candidate Chandrashekar backtracked from the election in the last moment, the BJP has planned to knock the Election Commission to postpone the election in Ramanagara.

The Election Commission has already banned sales of liquor in all the five constituencies and imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144. The counting of votes would be held at respective constituencies on November 6 and the result would be announced on the same day.

“The Election Commission will apply indelible ink on the pointing finger of the left arm in three Lok Sabha and two Assembly by-elections to be held on November 3”.  

- Sanjeev Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner

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Virudhunagar (PTI): More than 10 workers were feared dead following a blast in a firecrackers manufacturing unit near here and some others were severely injured, police said.

The blast occurred when about 30 workers were engaged in routine manufacturing related processes at the firecrackers unit at Kattanarpatti near here, they said adding portions of the building too collapsed under the impact.