Over 99% voter turnout, results to have bearing on power equation in Legislative Council
K'taka MLC polls
Results to be declared on Dec 14
Bengaluru, Dec 10: An estimated over 99 per cent voter turnout has been recorded during the biennial election to the Karnataka Legislative Council's 25 seats from 20 Local Authorities' Constituencies on Friday, the results of which will have a bearing on the power equation in the Upper House of the State Legislature.
The polling that began at 8 am on Friday ended at 4 pm. The results will be declared on December 14.
"The polling process concluded peacefully," the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, said in a statement.
According to the tentative poll turnout data shared by it, all the constituencies recorded over 99 per cent turnout till 4 pm.
Out of the total 90 candidates in the fray, 20 each were from BJP and Congress, six from JD(S), 33 independents, and rest were all from smaller parties. There was only one woman candidate in the fray, contesting from Chickmagalur constituency.
The electorate for this election comprises legislators, elected members of urban and rural local bodies. Unlike legislative assembly or Lok Sabha polls, the council contests are decided by preferential votes.
The election was necessitated as the term of 25 incumbent MLCs 14 Congress, seven BJP and four JD(S) ends on January 5.
The poll outcome will have a bearing on the power equation in the 75-member Upper House, where the ruling BJP wants to gain a majority.
The BJP that has expressed confidence about winning maximum seats needs to win at least 13 seats to secure a majority. The good performance in this election will also be a morale booster for the party after losing Hangal seat in the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's home district of Haveri during the recent Assembly bypolls.
The Congress too is determined to win maximum seats to keep the BJP away from gaining control of the upper house; while JD(S) has expressed confidence about winning all the six seats it is contesting in.
With the aim to get a majority in the Council, State BJP strongman and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, ahead of the polls, openly sought JD(S)' support for BJP candidates in the seats where the regional party was not contesting.
However, amid buzz about a possible pact with the ruling BJP, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy had recently said local leaders have been authorised to take a decision on whom to support in the seats where his party is not contesting, keeping in mind the prospects for the 2023 Assembly election.
Speaking to reporters after casting vote in Shiggaon, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said BJP will win all the States it is contesting in, and has put efforts for it.
While the State Congress President D K Shivakumar said his party expects to win more seats than it expected, and termed Yediyurappa seeking JD(S)' support as a sign of BJP losing strength.
JD(S)' H D Kumaraswamy, too, expressing confidence about winning six seats that the party is contesting in, said this council polls will strengthen the party's base for 2023 Assembly polls and set a tone for a new politics in the State.
The elections were held for two seats each from the local authorities constituencies of Bijapur, Belgaum, Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada and Mysuru; and one each from Bidar, Gulbarga, Uttara Kannada, Raichur, Bellary, Chitradurga, Shivamogga, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Tumakuru, Mandya, Bangalore, Bangalore Rural, Kolar and Kodagu.
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BJP accuses Karnataka govt of 'failing' to prevent noise pollution caused by 'azaan'
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Members of the Opposition BJP on Tuesday slammed the Karnataka government for not taking measures to prevent the alleged noise pollution caused by 'azaan', the Islamic call to prayer.
BJP MLC D S Arun raised the issue in the Legislative Council during the question hour, accusing the ruling Congress of "appeasement" by failing to take action against mosques that are violating the Supreme Court's directives.
Karnataka Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre, responding to the question, said, as per the directives of the Supreme Court in sensitive zones, the noise level should not exceed 50 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night, and in residential areas, 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night.
In commercial areas, the noise should not exceed 65 decibels during the day, 55 at night, and in industrial areas, 75 during the day and at night 70 decibels, he said.
Pointing out that the Karnataka government had issued an order in 2022, assigning responsibility to a committee headed by a DySPs or ACPs for the effective implementation of the rules, the minister said when a complaint is received about noise pollution, the Pollution Control Board will inspect it and provide information about the decibel level to the police to take further action, including filing of criminal cases.
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"Not only during azaan, but also during bhajans held in temples and marriage events, among others, the violations happen. There is a need to spread awareness. The Supreme Court has ordered against bursting firecrackers, but it is being violated. Efforts will be made to implement the rules effectively," he said.
Several BJP MLAs, including Arun, Bharathi Shetty, among others, were not satisfied with the minister's reply. They took strong exception to it.
Arun noted that in the last three years, only 52 cases have been taken, and said there are clear violations by almost all mosques, but no action has been taken. "The decibels have in fact increased under this government. The government is giving protection to them."
Reacting to this, Khandre, calling it a "sensitive matter", said, "It is not right to politicise the issue. The law of this land is equal for everyone."
Hitting back, Arun asked, "Why is the matter sensitive? What is preventing you (the government) from implementing the Supreme Court directives?"
