Repolling in 12 polling stations in Karnataka on April 29

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  B D Narayankar reports
  
  

  Bangalore, April 26 (PTI) Repolling will be held in 12 polling stations spread across nine Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka on April 29 due to technical problems in Electronic Voting Machines during the April 17 single-phase polls.

  Announcing the repolling, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha said the model code of conduct will come into operation with immediate effect in those districts where repolling has been recommended.

  Jha said repolling was recommended in 11 polling stations due to technical problems in EVMs. "We recommended repolling in Turuvekere polling station in Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency after finding out human error committed by election officials on duty," he added.

  Four election officials, who committed the mistake, have been suspended, Jha said adding they tried to handle the voting machine in violation of electoral laws.

  Repolling will take place in polling stations located in Lok Sabha constituencies of Tumkur, Haveri, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Shimoga and Hassan, he said.

  Asked whether there would be a repoll in the light of state unit JD-S President and party's Tumkur Lok Sabha constituency candidate A Krishnappa's death on April 23, he said "first we have to complete the process of counting and a decision will be taken after the results come out." Jha also expressed satisfaction over the voters turnout in three of Bangalore's Lok Sabha seats even though it registered one per cent drop compared to the 2013 assembly elections.

  In the assembly elections, as much as 57.64% of voters turnout was registered in 24 assembly segments of Bangalore North, South and Central Lok Sabha seats, Jha said.

  In comparison, the voters turnout in 24 assembly segments in Lok Sabha elections held in Bangalore's three constituencies registered 55.99% of voters turnout, Jha said.

  "Even if it is 1% less compared to voters turnout in assembly polls, it can be said it was a good show by the voters. There were 2,66,019 new voters who exercised their franchise in Bangalore's three seats," he said.