Karnataka Assembly elections: Election Commission extends polling hours till 6 pm

Votes for Karnataka Assembly elections will be counted on May 15.

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Bengaluru: The Election Commission on Monday issued a notification extending the hours of voting for Karnataka Assembly elections.

The notification says - "The commission considers that in view of the extreme heat in the Karnataka at present and also due to the introduction of VVPAT, it is necessary to extend the hours of the poll to facilitate all the voters to cast their votes even in the late hours. Now, therefore, the EC makes the following amendments in its notification,  namely, fixes the hours from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm, as the hours during which the poll shall,  if necessary, be taken on the date specified above, for the election."

April 24 is the last date for filing nominations while scrutiny will be taken up on April 25. The last date for withdrawal is April 27. Polling will be held across the state on May 12. Votes will be counted on May 15.

Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful voting amid tight security at 58,546 polling booths across 224 constituencies, using Electronic Voting Machines along with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails.

As many as 450 polling booths are `pink booths`, managed by all-women officials, including police, in all Assembly segments, as per reports.

The southern state has 4.96 crore registered electors, including 2.52 crore men and 2.44 crore women. Over 15 lakh are first-time voters in the 18-19 age group. About 3.5 lakh security personnel will be deployed during the polling in the state. 

The BJP is making an all-out bid to oust the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka. BS Yeddyurappa is saffron party's CM candidate.

(With Agency inputs)