The stage is set for the Lok Sabha polls in the Udupi-Chikmagalur parliamentary constituency on Thursday. The polling will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polling in the district. According to the police, as many as six companies of the central paramilitary force (CPMF) and the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), five parties of the District Armed Reserve Police, and 834 police personnel will be deployed at polling booths.
There are 53 polling booths in Naxal-affected areas and they have been classified as severely and moderately affected booths.
For severely affected booths, one head constable for each booth with one section of CPMF will be deployed and for moderately affected booths, one head constable or police constable with half a section of CPMF will be present. According to the District Administration, the Mustering and Demustering Centres in Udupi district are St. Cecily’s School for Kaup Assembly segment, T.A. Pai English Medium High School for Udupi Assembly segment, Bhandarkars Arts and Science College for Kundapur Assembly segment and Mini Vidhan Soudha for Karkala Assembly segment.
The polling officials had taken the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). and left for the polling stations assigned to them.
Voter’s slips had been distributed to most of the voters in Udupi district.
But those with either voter’s slips or EPICs could bring any one of the alternative documents already announced by the Election Commission.
They are: passport, driving licence, service identity cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State Governments/Public Sector Units/Public Limited Companies, passbooks with photograph issued by bank/post office, PAN card; Aadhaar card, MNREGAS job card, health insurance smart card issued by Ministry of Labour, and pension document with photograph.
