Bengaluru:  A total of 165 candidates, including 9 women, are in the fray for Dec. 5 by-election to the 15 Karnataka Legislative Assembly seats.

According to the State Election Commission, 53 candidates, of the total 218 nominations found in order after scrutiny on Nov. 21, withdrew their papers on the last day for withdrawal. 

K.R. Pet and Yellapur Constituencies have the least number of seven candidates each in the fray while highest number of 19 candidates each are in the fray in Shivajinagar Assembly constituency with Hosakote having 17 candidates for the by-poll. Voters in Shivajinagar and Hoskote will have two ballot units as the number of candidates exceeds 15.

Meanwhile, Vijayanagara and K.R. Puram has 13 candidates each, Yeshwanthpur and Mahalakshmi Layout 12 candidates each, Gokak 11 candidates, Hunsur 10 candidates, Athani 8 candidates, Kagwad, Chikkaballapura and Ranebennur have 9 candidates each. 

37.77 lakh voters to cast their franchise: As many as 37.77 lakh voters, including 18.52 lakh women, will be exercising their franchise in the by-polls. Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar, addressing the mediapersons, said that the voters list was updated till the last date for submission of nominations (Nov. 17), and that the number is “very large” for a bypoll. 

The eligible voters included 20,818 persons with disabilities and 414 of the third gender. First time voters in the age group of 18 and 19 constitute 79,714.

Yellapur, with 1.72 lakh voters, has the least number of electorate for a Constituency and KR Puram, with 4.87 lakh voters, has the highest voters among the Constituencies going for bypolls. 

In all, 4,185 polling booths will be set up, of which 20 per cent has been mapped as critical booths. While there will be 12 booths manned by persons with disabilities, 34 Sakhi booths to be manned by women will be established. Three have been declared as tribal booths.