MLC bypolls from Dakshina Kannada local bodies constituency begin

Mangaluru: The MLC by-election from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi local authorities constituency started from 8 am on Monday. The polling will be held till 4 pm in 392 polling booths in the constituency comprising Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

There are 6032 voters in the constituency with 3127 women voters. The polling booth situated at Mangaluru City Corporation saw brisk voting with the corporators standing in a queue in the morning itself.

Kokkada gram panchayat member Sharath exercised his franchise at Kokkada gram panchayat before heading to the marriage hall for his marriage.

The constituency has 53 sensitive polling booths. Gram panchayat members, corporators of the Mangaluru City Corporation, members of city municipal councils, town municipal councils, town panchayats, MLAs, MLCs, and Lok Sabha members from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are eligible voters.

However, Byndoor MLA Gururaj Gantihole and MLC Prathap Simha Nayak, who do not represent any of the local bodies, are left out of the voters' list. As per rules, MLAs, MLCs and MPs should be representing any of the city corporation, municipality, town panchayat, taluk panchayat or zilla panchayat to get the voting right in the MLC election to the Local Authorities’ Constituency.