South East Teachers’ segment tops MLC poll turnout with 95%

The polling for six Legislative Council seats from Teachers and Graduates constituencies was held on Monday.

The results of the elections will be announced on June 6.

The Karnataka South East Teachers constituency recorded the highest voting with 95.27% followed by Karnataka South Teachers 88.07% South West Teachers 82.56%, South West Graduates 78.19%, North East Graduates 69.51% and the Bengaluru Graduates constituency recorded the lowest at 65.86%.

For the six seats, 78 contestants are in the fray. In six constituencies together, a total of 4 lakh voters, including 3.63 lakh voters from teachers and 70,260 from graduates constituencies, exercised their franchise. 
 The Congress has fielded Marithibbe Gowda (South Teachers
constituency), K K Manjunath (South West Teachers), Ayanur Manjunath (South West Graduates), Chandrashekhar Patil (North East Graduates), Ramoji Gowda (Bangalore Graduates) and D T Srinivas (South East Teachers).

The alliance partners BJP and JD(S) have shared the seats. The JD(S) is trying its luck from two and the BJP from four constituencies. 

BJP has fielded Amarnath Patil from the North East Graduates constituency, Dr Dhananjay Sarji from the South West Graduates constituency, A Deve Gowda from the Bangalore Graduates constituency and Y A Narayanaswamy from the South East Teachers constituency.

The JD(S) candidates are K Vivekananda from the South Teachers constituency and Bhoje Gowda from the South West Teachers constituency.

First-time voters

Meanwhile, first-time voters in the graduates constituencies said they were confused as it was preferential voting.

“It was the first time I registered and voted, but there was no information on the voting method. The information I got outside the polling station was wrong,” said a voter. 

‘Lack of awareness’

According to leaders, the lack of awareness on voting is the major reason for the rejection of several votes in these elections.