Karnataka Election Commission Files 189 Major Election Violation Cases

Karnataka prepares for first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26. Polling stations in Bangalore Rural and Mysore constituencies will be webcast. 1.4 lakh polling officials, 5,000 micro observers, and security forces deployed. 189 MCC violation cases booked, including hate speech, inducement, and misuse of religious places. 14 constituencies with 2.88 crore electors to vote in first phase. 28,269 polling stations in second phase on May 7, covering 2.59 crore electors.

As Karnataka gears up for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26, the Election Commission on Wednesday said all the polling stations in the Bangalore Rural and Mysore constituencies will be webcast. As of now, a total of 189 cases have been booked against political parties or candidates for major violations under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), they said.

Addressing a press conference here, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena said 1.4 lakh polling officials will be on duty at the 30,602 polling stations across the 14 constituencies which are going for polls in the first phase on Friday.

Besides them, 5,000 micro observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Parliamentary Force and State Armed Police force of other States will also be deployed for security at these polling stations, he said.

''All the 2,829 polling stations of Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency will be 100 per cent webcast. This is as per the request of our returning officers and observers; so we have given more than double central parliamentary force for the Bangalore Rural Constituency. Seven companies of central paramilitary forces have been inducted at the constituency since April 22,'' Meena said.

Out of the 30,602 polling stations --- 19,701 polling stations will be webcast while 1,370 will be covered via CCTVs, he said. Out of the total 189 cases booked against political parties or candidates – 23 are related to hate speeches, 28 related to inducement, and 15 related to misuse of religious places among other MCC violations, the official said. Listing out the alleged MCC violations by political parties, he said for hate speech, 12 cases have been booked against BJP or its candidates, nine cases against Congress and two cases against JD(S). In connection with inducement, eight cases have been filed against BJP, nine against Congress, three against JD(S) and eight against independent candidates or "unrecognised" political parties. For misuse of religious places, eight cases have been booked against BJP, six against Congress and one against an independent candidate.

For using children for canvassing, seven cases each have been booked against BJP and Congress and one against an independent candidate, he added. The 14 segments facing polls in the first phase are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikkballapur and Kolar.

There are a total of 2,88,19,342 electors in these constituencies -- 1,44,28,099 male, 1,43,88,176 female and 3,067 third gender, according to the poll body. Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere and Shimoga will go to polls in the second phase on May 7. In these constituencies, there are a total of 2,59,52,958 electors – 1,29,83,406 are male, 1,29,67,607 are female and 1,945 are third gender -- and 28,269 polling stations.

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