Election to urban local bodies in Karnataka on Friday
Bengaluru, Aug 30 : Arrangements have been made for election in 102 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across Karnataka on Friday, said a poll official on Thursday.
"All arrangements, including security, have been made for polling in 102 ULBs on Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.," State Election Commissioner P.N. Srinivasulu said here.
About 40,000 security personnel have been deployed in cities and towns where the civic polls are being held.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used in the civic poll.
Counting of votes will be taken up on September 3 and most of the results are expected by night or early Tuesday.
Though the civic election was earlier scheduled to be held in 105 ULBs, it has been postponed in three of them -- Somwarpet, Virajpet and Kushalnagar -- due to heavy rains and flash floods early this month in their Kodagu district, about 270km from here.
"Election in these three towns will be held after normalcy returns to the district," said the commissioner.
Polling will be held in 2,529 wards spread over 29 city municipalities, 53 town municipalities and 23 town panchayats and in 135 wards of the three city corporations.
In all, 8,340 candidates, including 2,306 from the Congress, 2,203 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and 1,397 from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) are in the fray for the ULBs, while 814 are contesting in the city corporations, including 135 from Congress, 130 from BJP and 129 from JD-S.
The state government has declared holiday for offices, schools and colleges.
A total of 36-lakh voters are registered for exercising their franchise in the ULB wards and 13.33 lakh in the three towns of Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru.
In the 2013 ULB elections held in 4,976 seats, the Congress had won 1,960 seats, while BJP and JD-S had won 905 each, while independents bagged the remaining 1,206 seats.
Though the JD-S and the Congress formed a coalition government after the May 12 assembly election threw up a hung House due to a split verdict, the ruling alliance partners are contesting against each other in the ULBs separately.
The BJP, which won 104 seats in the 224-member assembly, is contesting against the alliance. The Congress won 80 seats and JD-S 36 seats in the assembly poll.
Elections to about 100 other local bodies, including Bengaluru, will be held after they complete their present term.
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Ready to help, PM Modi tells Myanmar's Senior General as his country recovers from earthquake
Bangkok (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing that India was doing everything possible to assist the nation in recovering from the aftermath of a massive earthquake that killed several thousands.
Modi met Senior General Min, the head of Myanmar's military government, on the sidelines of the Summit meeting of the leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping.
"Met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Once again expressed condolences on the loss of lives and damage to property in the wake of the recent earthquake. India is doing whatever is possible to assist our sisters and brothers of Myanmar in this critical time," Modi wrote on X.
This was the Prime Minister’s first interaction with Senior General Min, who came to power in a military coup in February 2021.
"We also discussed bilateral relations between India and Myanmar, particularly in sectors like connectivity, capacity building, infrastructure development and more," he said.
India has launched Operation Brahma to help relief efforts in the earthquake-hit Myanmar, where a military coup in February 2021 brought Senior General Min to power.
During the 35-minute meeting, the Myanmarese ruler appreciated the speed at which India sent in assistance immediately after the March 28 earthquake.
“We are ready to help,” the Prime Minister is learnt to have conveyed to Senior General Min.
India has deployed military field hospitals in Mandalay, which was near the epicentre of the earthquake.
A senior official of the Myanmar administration also visited the hospital set up by India in Mandalay.
India has also deployed its National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel who are assisting in the relief work in Myanmar.
Over 3,000 people have died in the Myanmar earthquake, nearly 5,000 have been injured, and over 370 remain missing nationwide.
