EC to appoint micro observers in polling stations

Mysore, Apr 23 (UNI) Mysore Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer P Manivannan today announced that the district administration would appoint micro observers in all polling booths to oversee the entire polling process on May ten.

Speaking to newspersons here, he said this system of micro observers was being introduced for the first time in the State, though it was tried during the Uttar Pradesh elections.

Central and State Government staff would be drawn for this purpose and these micro observers would report directly to the Election Commission.

The Central Government employees would be drawn to the extent possible and might be posted at relatively more sensitive polling booths. The system would help in avoiding allegations of favouritism towards a particular candidate or political party, he said.

Filing of nominations ended today without any untoward incident reported from any part of the district.

Police have booked nearly 380 cases against various political parties for violation of the model code of conduct.

Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and former Union Minister V Srinivasa Prasad, both from the Congress, filed their nomination papers to Varuna and Nanjangud Assembly constituencies respectively. Former Ministers G T Devegowda (BJP, Hunsur) and D T Jayakumar (BSP, Chamundeswari) were among the 150 candidates who filed their papers for the 11 Assembly constituencies in the district.

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