Bengaluru: As Karnataka prepares for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Apr. 26, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday that every polling station in the Bangalore Rural and Mysuru Constituencies will be equipped with webcasting capabilities.

To enhance surveillance against potential malpractices, the Election Commission will implement live webcasting in 64 percent (19,701) of the total 30,602 polling stations across 14 Lok Sabha Constituencies in Karnataka, where polling is  slated for  tomorrow.

Speaking at a press briefing in Bengaluru yesterday, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena stated that 1.4 lakh polling officials will be deployed across the 30,602 polling stations within the 14 Constituencies scheduled for the first phase of polling.

In addition to this workforce, 5,000 micro-observers, 50,000 civil Police personnel and 65 companies comprising the Central Paramilitary  Force and State Armed Police Force from other States will also be stationed to ensure security at these venues.

Currently, a total of 189 cases have been registered against political parties or candidates for significant violations under the Model Code of Conduct.

“All 2,829 polling stations within the Bangalore Rural Parliamentary Constituency will have 100% webcasting coverage. This decision aligns with the requests made by our Returning Officers and Observers. Consequently, we have doubled the deployment of the Central Paramilitary Force for this Constituency. Since Apr. 22, seven companies of Central Paramilitary Forces have been stationed in the Constituency,” Meena remarked.

Out of the 30,602 polling stations in the Constituencies going to poll, 19,701 will be webcast, while an additional 1,370 will be covered via CCTV, he said.

Regarding the 189 cases registered, 23 pertain to hate speeches, 28 to inducement, and 15 to the misuse of religious places, among other Model Code of Conduct infractions, the official conveyed.

Enumerating the alleged poll code transgressions by political entities, he noted that concerning hate speech, 12 cases    have been filed against BJP or its candidates, nine against Congress and two against JD(S).

Concerning inducement, eight cases were lodged against the BJP, nine against the Congress, three against the JD(S) and eight against independent candidates or ‘unrecognised’ political entities.

Regarding the misuse of religious places, eight cases were registered against the BJP, six against the Congress and one against an independent candidate. In terms of using children for canvassing, seven cases each have been filed against the BJP and Congress, and one against an independent candidate.