Legislative Council polls: DK records 72.87% polling in South West Graduates’ Constituency and 75.71% polling in South West Teachers’ Constituency

The Legislative Council elections went off peacefully in Dakshina Kannada on Monday with the South West Graduates’ Constituency recording 72.87% polling and South West Teachers’ Constituency reporting 75.71% polling.

The Legislative Council elections went off peacefully in Dakshina Kannada on Monday with the South West Graduates’ Constituency recording 72.87% polling and South West Teachers’ Constituency reporting 75.71% polling.

The polling was held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Of 19,971 voters in the Graduates’ Constituency in the district, 14,553 voted. Of 11,596 female voters, 8,002 voted; and among 8,375 male voters, 6,551 voted. The polling was held in 24 polling stations at 14 locations, according to M. P. Mullai Muhilan, Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Election Officer.

He said of a total of 8,189 voters in Teachers’ Constituency, 6,200 exercised their franchise. Of 5,539 female voters in total, 4,075 women voted; and of 2,650 male voters, 2,125 men voted. The elections were held in 16 polling stations set up in 14 locations, he said.

Though it rained while the voting was under progress at the polling stations set up at the University College in Mangaluru, people stood in queues holding umbrellas and voted. Many voters faced problems in parking their vehicles at the college which had five polling stations set up for Graduates’ Constituency and three polling booths opened under Teachers’ Constituency.

The first-time voters under the Graduates’ Constituency said that employment opportunities should be created for graduates.

Manjushree, a first-time voter in Graduates’ Constituency, who voted at the booth set up in Town Municipal Council Office in Moodbidri told the visiting journalists that the Election Commission should do away with using ballot papers in the Council polls. When ballot papers are used, the voters are likely to make more mistakes while marking the vote and there are chances of some votes getting rejected. This could be avoided by using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), she said.