Polling tomorrow amidst tight police security
58,302 polling stations, use of police of other states
Bengaluru, May 11: Director General of Police and IG Neelamani N Raju said that the police department has taken all precautionary measures and security arrangements to ensure free and fair Assembly election in the state tomorrow.
Speaking to reporters at her office here on Friday, she said that total 58,302 polling stations were set up for voting and among them, 21,464 polling stations were identified as sensitive polling stations. Each such polling station was provided a head constable and a constable and general polling station was provided a constable or home guard, she added.
Police from other states
For the first time, total 7500 police force was summoned from Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, along with home guards and civil police personnel, for the election duty. Responding to the request, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh have also sent their forces. But since there was more force than requirement, they were sent back, the DGP said.
For the election duty, total 43,653 police personnel, 22,172 home guards, two thousand Seva Dal, and remaining 3000 from the forest staff, Lokayukta, CID and other organizations are being used for the purpose. Apart from this, 585 platoons of armed forces were also deputed and these forces were deputed as flying squads and sector squads. Apart from this, one armed personnel would be deputed for each of the sensitive polling booths, she said.
Only 117 cases were registered related to election in the state this year. As the police security was beefed up in some sensitive places like Shivamogga, Davangere, Bengaluru, Hubballi- Dharwad, no communal clashes or cases were reported. Except one murder in a fracas between two groups in an inebriated condition, at Chikkaballapur, no casualties were reported in any parts of the state, she said.
There were no reports of Naxal activities in the state. Except some information about their movement during January and February, no activities were reported. Nowhere the election was boycotted. Even then, sufficient police security has been provided in naxal-prone places, she added.
ADGP Kamal Panth was appointed as the nodal officer for election work and senior officer R Hitendra was appointed to look after the cases of expenditure and violation of code of conduct and DIG Sandeep Patil was given the responsibility of deputing armed forces and security forces. All three of them were in regular contact with Chief Election Officer, she said.
Precautionary measures
In view of the election, more than 40,000 people, having criminal background, were summoned to police stations and warned them. Based on the circumstances, the police stations would arrest such persons, if needed. Out of total 97,043 licenced weapons, 95,405 weapons were deposited in police stations after election code of conduct was enforced. But 1456 weapons were given relaxation from deposition and licences of 19 weapons were cancelled. Total 22 illegal weapons and 30 bullets were seized, he said.
“State assembly poll would be held tomorrow. Tight police security was made for polling. All measures were taken to ensure free and fair election in the state and people could vote without any fear”- DGP Neelamani N Raju
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
