Over 1,300 nominations filed in phase I K'taka polls

Bangalore, Apr 23 (UNI) Over 1,300 candidates have entered the fray for the 89 Assembly seats in 11 districts which will go to polls in the first phase on May ten for the Karnataka Assembly.

Frentic activity was witnessed as 700 people filed their nomination for the first phase on the final day today.

The scrutiny would take place tomorrow and last day for withdrawal of nominations is April 26, officials in the office of The Chief Electoral Officer said.

The districts which will go to polls in first phase are Tumkur, Chickballapura, Kolar, Bangalore, Bangalore Rural, Ramanagara, Mandya, Hassan, Kodagu, Mysore and Chamarajanagara.

Prominent among those who filed their nominations today included Mamatha Nichani, daughter of Former Karantaka Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, Union Minister and Lok Sabha Member Ambarish, Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Sidharamaiah and Speaker of the dissolved Karnataka Assembly Krishna.

For the second phase of elections for which notification was issued yesterday for 66 Assembly seats in ten districts, so far 67 nominations were received including that of BJP Leader and Former Minister R Sriramulu, who is seeking re-election from Bellary.

The last date for filing nominations for the second phase polls on May 16 is April 29 and scrutiny would be taken up the following day.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is May 2.

The notification for the third phase elections for the remaining 69 Assembly seats in eight northern Karnataka Districts will be issued on April 26.

UNI MV RS GM AKJ HT2142