Udupi: The Udupi district recorded an overall voting percentage of 68.99 in the Zilla and taluk panchyat polls held on Saturday February 20.
According to the final voting percentage released by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Udupi district, Karkala Taluk recorded the highest polling of 72.81 percent, followed by Udupi Taluk at 67.18 per cent and Kundapur Taluk 72.81 percent.
The election in Udupi district was peaceful. Minor clashes were reported between party workers of Congress and BJP in Kanajar near Karkala where police intervened the cleared the situation. While BJP and Congress workers struck at each other in Mundaje near Hiriyadka.
Though polling was quite dull till 11 am, it accelerated later on and finished with a considerably good percentage.
Out of the 77 nominations, 26 each are from Congress and BJP, while six are from the JD(S), four each from BSP and CPI(M) and 11 are Independent candidates. There are 26 zilla panchayat seats (Kundapur 10, Udupi 11 and Karkala five) in the district. The Congress and the BJP have fielded their nominees for all the zilla panchayat seats in the district. While JD(S) is contesting for two seats in Kundapur, three in Udupi and one in Karkala.
As many as 233 nominees have remained in the fray for the taluk panchayat elections in the district. There are 98 taluk panchayat constituencies in the district – of which 37 are in Kundapur, 41 in Udupi and 20 in Karkala. Out of the 233 nominations, 98 each are from the Congress and the BJP, 10 from the JD(S), 12 from the CPI(M), one from the SDPI and 14 are independent candidates.
The counting of votes will be held on February 23. Police personnel have been deployed for the safekeeping of the Electronic Voting Machines stored across the 3 taluks in the district.
Bhandarkars Arts and Science College, Kundapur, will be the counting center for Kundapur taluk. St Cecily School, Ajjarkadu, will be the counting center for Udupi taluk and Manjunath Pai Memorial Government First Grade College will be the counting center for Karkala taluk.
