Karnataka now has 9.17 lakh first-time voters, says Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar
1 min read 29 Mar 2023, 11:57 AM ISTAll eligible voters who are reaching 18 years of age by April 1 will be able to participate in Karnataka Assembly elections 2023.
PremiumThe Election Commission has announced that the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 will be held on May 10, with the vote counting taking place on May 13. On March 29, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar highlighted that in addition to urban and youth apathy, money power is also a major concern in the electoral space.
The number of first-time voters in Karnataka has gone up by 9.17 lakhs since 2018-19. According to the CEC Rajiv Kumar, all eligible voters who are reaching 18 years of age by April 1 will be able to participate in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections.
For the first time, a vote-from-home option will be available in the Karnataka Elections 2023. This will be applicable for people aged 80 and above.
Karnataka election schedule 2023 LIVE
There are a total of 58,282 polling stations in Karnataka, and the sensitive ones will have additional security measures. About 100 booths will be operated exclusively by differently-abled individuals, while 1,320 booths will be run exclusively by women.
"There are 224 Assembly constituencies of which 36 are reserved for the SCs and 15 for the STs. The total electorates in the state are 5,21,73,579 crores of which males are 2.62 crores and females are 2.59 crores. The total number of 80 plus electors is 12.15 lakhs. It is an increase of 32 per cent from 2018. It also includes 16,976 proud electors who are 100 plus. The number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) has increased to 5.55 lakhs. This is an increase of close to 150 per cent," Kumar said.
CEC Rajiv Kumar has expressed concerns about urban apathy, particularly in Bengaluru. To improve voter participation, the Election Commission has enlisted the help of institutions such as IISc and IITs, as per the CEC's statement.
He also revealed that the authorities have already confiscated more freebies prior to the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct than during the entire 2018 elections. Additionally, pressure cookers with the names of candidates on the bags, intended for distribution during the polls, have been discovered.
(With agency inputs)
