Karnataka Election 2023: 'Vote From Home' Facility For Voters Above 80 Years, Announces EC

The Election Commission announced that voters who are above the age of 80 years and have disabilities can avail the facility of Vote-From-Home.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

Source : Twitter/ANI

Karnataka Election 2023: The Election Commission on Wednesday announced that voters who are above the age of 80 years and have disabilities can avail the facility of Vote-From-Home (VFH). Karnataka Assembly elections will be held on 10th May; counting of votes on 13th May.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that "first-time voters have increased from 2018-19 by 9.17 lakhs in Karnataka. All young voters who are turning 18 years of age by April 1, will be able to vote in Karnataka Assembly elections." He also said that EC is strengthening its team in Karnataka to curb the use of money power in elections. 2400 Static Surveillance teams to keep strict vigil.

"We are strengthing our team in Karnataka to curb the use of money power in elections. 2400 Static Surveillance teams to keep strict vigil. Monitoring on 171 Interstate check posts in 19 districts (sharing borders with other states)," Rajiv Kumar said.

The Election Commission announced the schedule for the Karnataka Assembly elections. The polling would take place in a single phase on May 10, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Wednesday. The counting of votes will be done on May 13, the CEC said in a press conference. Detailing the data of the electors, the CEC said that there are a total of 5.21 crores in the state and the number of 100 plus voters is 16,976. He informed that over 58,000 polling stations would be set up across the state.

"There are 224 Assembly constituencies of which 36 are reserved for the SCs and 15 for the STs. The total electorates in the state are 5,21,73,579 crores of which males are 2.62 crores and females are 2.59 crores. The total number of 80 plus electors is 12.15 lakhs. It is an increase of 32 per cent from 2018. It also includes 16,976 proud electors who are 100 plus. The number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) has increased to 5.55 lakhs. This is an increase of close to 150 per cent," Kumar said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka, which has 224 seats in the Assembly currently has 119 MLAs of the ruling BJP, while Congress has 75 and its ally JD(S) has 28 seats. With months to go for the Assembly elections, the political parties including the ruling BJP, Congress and ally JD(S) began the spate of allegations and counter-allegations, with the latter attempting to corner the government over the issue of corruption.

The BJP government, being led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is also putting in efforts to return to power and stressing on the Kannadigas issue, reservation to the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities by scrapping a religion-based reservation for the Muslim community, a decision which the state government took recently.