EVMs will have displays only in Kannada, unlike the general elections where the candidates’ details were in English as well.
Be prepared to see names of the candidates and parties displayed only in Kannada in the BBMP elections. Yes, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will have displays only in Kannada, unlike the general elections where the candidates’ details used to be in English as well.
This was disclosed by the State Election Commission on Saturday, when all the candidates were called to go through the working of EVMs for a hands-on experience.
The worst hit will be the independent candidates, 706 among the total 1,342 candidates. “Public might not remember their symbols and they will be affected most,” says N Mukund, managing committee member of Citizen’s Action Forum.
Speaking to dna.sunday, Dr Meenakshi Bharath, a Loksatta candidate who is contesting from Aramane Nagar, said she was shocked. “This is not fair. Election must be friendly to all citizens. Bangalore has a multilingual, cosmopolitan society. How can SEC expect the non Kannadigas to vote only the basis of the symbols? They are not illiterate. The city wants non-Kannadigas’ money for its development and why can’t the authorities give them the candidates list in English? It is unfair,” said Dr Bharath. “First of all, the voters turn out among the non-Kannadigas is less. No display in English would discourage them even more,” she added.
Speaking to dna.sunday, Vivek Menon, civic expert, said that this is another ploy of ruling party to alienate the urban voter. “Bangalore has huge migrant population who need not know necessarily to write and read Kannada,” he said.
“When the election notification was brought up, this issue should have been disclosed. We would have filed a petition had we known it before three days. The candidates could have disseminated the message to the public while campaigning. SEC has really given a shock,” said Mukund.
A few independent candidates and members of Loksatta party took serious objection stating that they would suffer in votes.
District Election Officer (Central) AM Kunjappa said that since BBMP was a local body, the SEC has adopted Kannada medium.
“Public would know the symbol and vote accordingly. However, SEC has the discretion to print it in Kannada,” he added. “It should have been in both the languages. We have nothing against Kannada. But it is not fair to expect non-Kannadigas to read Kannada,” said Mukund.
However, CR Chikmath, state election commissioner, said: “We have done it as per the Karnataka Municipality Act.”
Clashes erupt
In Jeevavanbhimanagar, eight persons were arrested after JD(S) workers and Congress workers clashed while campaigning.
Electronics City witnessed a clash between JD(S) and BJP workers, while Chandra Layout saw pitched battle between workers of JD(S) and independent candidates. Untoward incidents were reported in ward 75 Shankar Mutt in Mahalakshmi Layout, Nandini Layout and Rajagopalanagar.
A case was registered in Peenya police station against BJP workers. Many cased were filed, including violation of code of conduct, excise and criminal cases.
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