Chamarajanagar: BJP Nominee and former Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) nominee Dr. Shivakumar filed their nominations before Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner B.B. Cauvery  at her office here today from Chamarajanagar (SC) Reserve Lok Sabha seat which is going to polls on Apr.18.

Traffic in the southern-most district headquarters was disrupted for several hours this morning as both the party candidates took out a procession with large number of supporters till the DC’s Office.

BSP candidate Dr. Shivakumar was the first to file papers at 12.15 pm after garlanding the idol of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at Ramasamudra on the outskirts of the city. He also offered  ‘Buddha Namana’ at Saranatha Boudha Vihar and performed puja at Chamarajeshwara Temple.

Meanwhile, Prasad filed his papers at 1.15 pm after offering puja at Chamarajeshwara Temple and taking out a procession along with band set and folk troupes.

Yesterday, as many as three candidates, including Congress nominee R. Dhruvanarayan, Uttama Prajika Party candidate M. Nagaraju and new Congress Party nominee Subbaiah, submitted their papers to Deputy Commissioner B.B. Cauvery.

Access to the office of the Returning Officer (RO) will be closed and none will be allowed inside after 3 pm today, which is the last date for filing nominations.    

The ROs and Assistant ROs had been given training in scrutinising the nominations, the process which would begin from tomorrow (Mar.27). They would scrutinise all the nominations received. The last date for withdrawal of nominations by the candidates is Mar.29.