Banshankari bypoll passes off peacefully

The ward records a poor 52% turn out; some voters boycotted polls in some booths over goof-up in the electoral list.

Banshankari bypoll passes off peacefully

The ward records a poor 52% turn out; some voters boycotted polls in some booths over goof-up in the electoral list.

If some blamed the election commission officials for the goof-up, some termed the omission a handiwork of the BJP. Groups of voters in Yarabnagar and Sarbandeypalaya smelt the rat when they found their names missing for the voters' list despite having voter's ID cards.

"We suspect the BJP has made some mischief. They must have used their influence to omit our names. As a result, many of our friends and relatives have boycotted election this time. We have come to know that around 3,000 names are missing from the voters' list," said Wajid Pasha, a resident of Yarabnagar.

Refuting to the allegations, BJP leader from Banashankari Ward, N R Ramesh, said, "Goof-ups are eternal to electoral lists. It will be insane to blame us for somebody else's mistake. We have no role to play in preparation of voters' lists; the election commission is the authority that makes it. Our party is unnecessarily being dragged into the controversy."

Nageena, one of the voters who were barred from using her franchise despite having a valid voter's Id, said, "When I reached the centre to cast my vote, polling officials told me that my name was missing from the list. I have been voting ever since I attained the voting age, how come my name disappears from the list this time. It is the first time I am denied of my right."

On the defensive.
The returning officer, under whose guidance the election took place at the ward, said, "We have not done any mistakes, every thing here was perfect. We have used the same list of voters that was used during assembly elections. Last time only 40 per cent voters exercised their franchise, but this time around 52 per cent voters cast their votes."

BJP's strategy
A source in the BJP said they had given moral support to a strong independent candidate, Sheik Aslam, from Yarabnagar to make a dent in the Muslim vote bank of Congress and the JD(S) on which both the parties are heavily banking. Both the parties had fielded Muslim candidates. "We know about Sheik Aslam's potential. This man is quite popular and known for his charity works. He can surely garner more than 1,000 votes which is 12 per cent of the total vote share."

Why poll?
The byelection was necessitated following the murder of JDS corporator Diwan Ali recently.

Everything in place!
Eight ACPs, 20 inspectors, 55 PSIs, 20 ASIs, 350 head constables, constables and women police were on the job to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls. Every sector was under an ACP rank police official. Prohibitory orders were clamped in Banashankari and Kumaraswamy police stations yesterday. Sale of liquor was also prohibited in these areas. "Section 144 will be imposed from 6 am of June 29, the day counting begins, till 6 am on June 30," said a police official requesting anonymity.

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