Elections totaling 91,339 seats were held in 5,728 gram panchayats and 2.22 lakh of candidates were in the fray.
The counting of votes for 5,728 Gram Panchayats in Karnataka that went to the polls in two phases has started at 8am on Wednesday. As the ballots were used at other polls than in the Bidar district, where EVMs (electronic voting machines) were used, the announcement of the results may be delayed, poll officials said.
The results will be regularly updated on the official website of the state electoral commission: karsec.gov.in and ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in. Elections totaling 91,339 seats were held in 5,728 panchayats out of 226 taluks in the state and 2,22,814 candidates were in the fray. 8,074 unopposed candidates are already chosen in both phases. Election officials said the elections were held for 43,238 seats in the first phase on December 22, while the vote for 39,378 seats in the second phase on December 27.
While the first phase registered a voter turnout of approximately 82%, in the second phase it was slightly less than 81%.
Although these polls are not carried out on party symbols, all political parties have made an effort to ensure that the candidate supported by them wins, to have their control in grassroots politics, which can be advantageous for them in taluk. or zilla panchayat and even Assembly polls when they happen.
The ruling BJP had run a vigorous campaign by launching its Gram Swaraj campaign long before its rivals Congress and the JD-S with the aim of securing at least 80% of the total seats.
Prime Minister BS Yediyurappa even claimed on Monday that governing candidates supported by the BJP are likely to win the majority of seats. “According to my information, it is certain that between 85% and 90% of the candidates supported by the BJP will be chosen in the Gram Panchayat polls,” he said.
There are 6,004 gram panchayats in the state, but elections were announced for only 5,762. Elections for another 242 panchayats could not be announced due to various legal problems.
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