Mangalore, April 23, 2013, DHNS:
62,140 names added through SVEEP, 23,414 names deleted
Dakshina Kannada district has an Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) coverage of 99.85 per cent.
Out of 15,00,385 voters in the district, 14,98,089 have been issued with EPICs, said Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta. The EPICs have not been issued to 2,296 voters. This includes 1,417 in Mangalore South and 680 in Mangalore constituencies. With the Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme, a total of 62,140 new names have been included in the electoral list till April 17 and 23,414 names have been deleted from the electoral roll. There are 1,93,723 voters in Belthangady, 1,73,125 voters in Moodbidre, 2,04,290 in Mangalore North, 2,04,949 in Mangalore South, 1,68,266 in Mangalore, 1,96,944 in Bantwal, 1,79,170 in Puttur and 1,79,918 in Sullia constituencies.
There is a total of 1,715 polling booths in the district. This includes 88 auxillary polling booths. The DK district administration is going for a vulnerability analysis of the polling booths in the district and coming up with an adequate security plan for them.
Voters slip
The DC said that all the voters will get voters slip at their door step within a few days. The BLOs (Booth Level Officers) will visit the houses to distribute voters slip.
The voters slip with photo of the voter is only valid. Though political parties have been allowed to issue voters slip, it will not have any validity. If there was none at home when the BLO visits, then the voter can collect the slip from BLO on the day of the polling. The BLO will be sitting outside the polling booth.
Show cause notice
Speaking on the functioning of the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC), the DC said that the MCMC is keeping continuous watch on news – in print and visual media in the run up to May 5 Assembly elections. Six show cause notices have been issued to candidates and one electronic media. The MCMC has received a total of six complaints. Two cases have been forwarded to the Chief Election Commissioner. Pertaining to one particular case, notice has been issued to a printer. Two complaints have been considered as that of paid news and the action will be initiated shortly.
EVMs
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have already been tested in the presence of representatives of political parties and has been sent to the Assembly constituencies. The randomisation of EVMs will be held on April 26 and the EVMs will be set on April 27. Additional 175 EVMs have been distributed among assembly constituencies. Sector officers have been trained to set right things in case an EVM encounters any technical glitch.
In case of complete machine failure, the Sector Officer has been given the authority to replace the machine, said the Deputy Commissioner.
On 24×7 election helpline set up by the district administration, the DC said that so far 98 complaints have been received on the 1077 helpline.
Postal ballots
Stressing on postal ballots, the DC said that a facilitation centre will be opened at the place where polling officials will be trained. The official concerned will be asked to exercise their postal ballot along with the declaration and put it inside a ballot box.
The ballot box will be sealed and kept in treasury. The postal ballot and declaration form should be given separately, otherwise postal ballot will be invalid.
MCC Commissioner Dr Harish and Additional DC Dayanand were present.
