Mysore/Mysuru: The Legislative Council polls from the South Graduates Constituency comprising four districts — Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Hassan — held yesterday (June 13) saw a record 70 percent polling, with educated voters showing much more enthusiasm for exercising their franchise this time. The last time, when the election was held in 2016, the Constituency had recorded just about 44 percent polling.

The polling which began at 8 am on Monday, concluded at 5 pm, with 99,467 of the registered 1,41,887 graduate voters casting their ballots. There are 19 candidates in the fray, including M.V. Ravishankar of the BJP, Madhu G. Madegowda of the Congress, H.K. Ramu of JD(S) and Prasanna N. Gowda who is backed by KRRS, DSS, AAP and a host of other organisations.

While 39,359 voters (out of 58,186 voters) cast their ballots in Mysuru district, 33,053 voters (out of 47,302) in Mandya district, 8893 voters (out of 12,147) in Chamarajanagar district and 17,999 voters (out of 24,252) in Hassan district exercised their franchise. Hassan district recorded the highest percentage of polling (74.22 %), while Mysuru recorded the lowest (67.64%), among the four districts that cover the South Graduates Constituency. The polling passed off peacefully with no untoward incidents being reported from any part of the Constituency.

Police had made elaborate security arrangements in all the 150 polling booths that spread across the Constituency for ensuring free and fair polls. However, there is a general feeling that the names of thousands of old voters were missing in the electoral rolls, that was prepared afresh late last year, following a direction from the Election Commission.

The anxious wait of the candidates will come to an end when the counting of votes will be taken up tomorrow (June 15) at 8 am at  Maharani’s Women’s Commerce and Management College on Valmiki Road in city and the results will be declared by late evening after all rounds of counting.

Liquor sold as usual despite ban

Though the district administration had imposed a ban on sale of liquor from 5 pm on June 11 to midnight of June13 on account of the Legislative Council polls from South Graduates Constituency, liquor sales went on as usual during this period, albeit clandestinely. As sale of liquor went on illegally despite the district administration’s ban, the citizens are questioning what purpose the ban served.

The citizens have accused the law enforcing authorities of willful negligence on enforcement of liquor ban when the polls were underway.

Meanwhile, some liquor sellers are said to have made a hay, by selling Liquor at almost the double the price under the pretext of liquor ban. Mysuru Hotel Owners Association President C. Narayanagowda alleged that liquor sales went on unhindered around Suburban Bus Stand.