Mangalore: Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha  Constituency  Records 74.33 Percent Poll Turnout 
 
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore (RS)
 
Mangalore, Apr 30:  The Dakshina Kannada  district has recorded 74.33 percent poll which is highest poll turnout in the state, said Deputy Commissioner V Ponnuraj.
 
Sullia assembly segment was recorded first in the constituency with  a 80.09 % turnout, while  Mangalore South segment recorded the least turnout with 68.13 %  polling. More than 70 % electorate exercised their franchise in all the seven assembly segments in the constituency, he said.
 
The voting percentage before de-mustering in Belthangady assembly segment was 72.60 %, Moodbidri - 71.50 %, Mangalore North - 73.15%, Mangalore (Ullal) - 74.36 %, Bantwal - 77.41%, Puttur segment recorded 78.12 %   he added.
 

The naxal  effected areas  have  recorded  highest  percentage of polling which has crossed minimum turnout about  57  percent which is highest average turnout in  the  state. In a total of 162 polling  stations in  naxal  infested areas a total of  68.78 % voters have exercised their  franchise. 
 
Polling went off peacefully  without  any  trouble, said,  Ponnuraj, inspite of some of the polling stations facing some problems on  EVMs  which was  later  rectified.
 
There were above 5000 staff including micro observers who were given election duty cards and provided facility to caste their vote. Among them were 2000 drivers.  Many other staff lost their chance of voting because of their negligence in not filling the application forms he said.
 
He  also said that the communication centre which was set up at his office building has worked well and the experiment of collection of information and other data collection worked well, he said. 
         
The Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) will be stored in a  strong room at Canara college in the city till the date of counting, May 16.

Udupi: Lok Sabha Constituency Records 61 percent Voters’ Turn-out
 
Reports by Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD)
 
Udupi, Apr 30: The polling in the general elections at Udupi – Chikmagalur constituency, here on Thursday April 30 was peaceful amid fears of naxal attacks.  The average voters’ turn-out across the constituency was 61.39 % , with Karkal recording the highest of  70 %.
 
Udupi – Chikmagalur Lok Sabha constituency comprised of 8 legislative assembly constituencies, Kaup - 61 %, Udupi - 62 %, Kundapur - 67 %, Chikmagalur - 61.10 %, Sringeri - 64 %, Karkal – 70 %, Mudigere - 54 % and Tarikere - 52 %.
 
Nearly 50 % of voters’ turn-out was recorded in all the polling centers by 12.00 pm on Thursday.  New voters including youth in significant numbers cast their votes.  Majority of voters  did not have  Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) and ration cards, since the Electoral records were updated with voter’s photographs, ration cards details etc.  However, the voters carrying their EPIC cast their votes in large numbers with ease while others had to be assisted in clarifying their information with Electoral records by poll officials. 
 
Meanwhile, the voters’ turn-out was about 5 % lower than the last Assembly polls held in 2008 here. 
 
Security from  CRPF, ANF and police personnel assisted by poll officials ensured peaceful polling even in naxal-affected areas of Malnad regions on Thursday. 

Polling Coverage:

• Mangalore and Udupi: Voters Flummoxed, Turn Livid as their Names go Missing Mysteriously
• Mangalore and Udupi: At 2 pm - Satisfactory Turnout in Coastal Districts
• Mangalore: Spirited Senior Citizens: Heartening Feature of Today's Polling
• Udupi/Mangalore: Voting Picks up Pace - Naxal-affected Areas Lead by Example
• Mangalore and Udupi: LS Poll Begins with Disappointing Note: Low Turnout Reported