Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP and BJP Karnataka President Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday morning visited the District Wenlock Hospital in the city after reports of negligence and other grievances at the hospital started doing rounds on local social media platforms.

Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, Sindhu B Rupesh briefed the MP about the situation and how the administration was monitoring patients. She also informed him about the preparedness of the hospital and authorities in case of an outbreak.

Rupesh informed the MP that a separate block was dedicated to treat the COVID-19 patients and that only one patient had tested positive for the virus who was being treated at the hospital. She further added that the hospital was capable of admitting at least 200 patients of COVID-19 for treatment.

Nalin Kumar later urged people to not pay heed to the rumours and added that the healthcare facility across the nation and state was up to the mark to face the situation.

 

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New Delhi, May 3: Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has written to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar raising concerns over "delays and discrepancies" in the release of voting figures of the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls, the party said in a statement.

Yechury, in his letter, said it is surprising that the final figures for the percentage of voting in the first phase of polls were released after an "inordinate and unexplained" delay of eleven days, while in case of the second phase, the delay was of four days.

The CPI (M) leader said there was a difference of around six per cent in the initial and final voting percentage released. He also questioned why the numbers of votes polled was not disclosed.

"Unfortunately, the ECI has not come out with any explanation for the cause of this undue delay. What goes unanswered is also surge of six per cent from the initial figures that the ECI put out and the final figure," the CPI(M) said in the statement.

"While it is plausible that there may be a slight variation between the initial and the final figures, this variation of six per cent is unusual and raises some suspicion. Also, while the percentages have been disclosed, the voting figures (number of votes polled) have not yet been provided," the statement said.

The CPI(M) said in the interest of transparency and credibility of the process, it is incumbent that the ECI clear the doubts that have arisen in this regard.

"It should provide state-wise, constituency-wise and assembly segment-wise break-up of the initial and final percentage as also the number of votes cast. Further, it also needs to be clarified as to how much under which category this rise has taken place - EVMs, postal ballots, votes at Facilitation Centres for personnel on duty etc," it said.

In a post on X, Yechury said the ECI should provide state-wise, constituency-wise and assembly segment wise break-up of the initial and final percentage as also the number of votes cast.

The Congress, CPI(M) and the TMC had on Tuesday criticised the Election Commission over the delay in publishing the final voter turnout figures for the first two phases of the Lok Sabha polls.

The commission that evening made public the voter turnout data of the first and second phases of polling held on April 19 and April 26.

According to the EC, a voter turnout of 66.14 per cent was recorded in the first and 66.71 per cent in the second phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

However, opposition parties are demanding that the absolute number of voters, not just the percentage, be made public.

Voting for the general election is being held in seven phases, of which polling for two phases are over. The remaining phases are scheduled for May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.