Can spot arsonists by their clothes; their actions prove that Citizenship Act is 1,000% correct: PM Modi

Bengaluru: The Election Commission on Saturday said it has introduced the facility to Vote-from-Home (VFH) for people above 80 years of age and those with disabilities in the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka.

For the first time, the ECI is going to provide the facility to those above 80 years of age. Our teams will go there with a form-12D to exercise their franchise, the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar told reporters here.

Though we encourage those above 80 years to come to the polling station, those who cannot can avail this facility, he added. Secrecy will be maintained and the entire process will be videographed, Kumar explained.

“All the political parties will be informed whenever there is a movement for Voting From Home (VFH),” Kumar said.

For people with disabilities, a mobile application ‘Saksham’ has been introduced, which they can login to and choose the facility to vote, the CEC said. Another mobile application, ‘Suvidha’ has been developed, which is an online portal for candidates to file nominations and affidavits.

“Candidates can also use the SUVIDHA portal for seeking permission for meetings and rallies,” the top election official explained.

The ECI has also launched a campaign called Know Your Candidate (KYC) for the benefit of voters. “Political parties have to inform the voters on their portals and social media platform as to why they chose a candidate with criminal background and gave ticket to contest the election,” Kumar said.

Speaking of the Karnataka assembly election, he noted that the state with 224 constituencies has 36 seats reserved for the SCs and 15 for the STs. There are 5.21 crore voters including 2.59 women voters. The number also includes 16,976 centenarians, 4,699 third gender and 9.17 lakh first time voters.

Also, there are 12.15 lakh voters above the age of 80 and 5.55 lakh people with disabilities (PWD).

The state has 58,272 polling stations, including 24,063 in urban areas. The average voters in each station is 883. Of these polling stations, 1,320 are women managed, 224 are youth managed and 224 are PWD managed. There will be webcasting in 29,141 polling stations, the CEC said adding 1,200 are critical polling stations.

As most of the polling stations are in schools, these will have “permanent water, electricity, toilet and ramps.”

“These facilities will be permanent in nature. This is a gift from the ECI to the schools and to the school children,” said Kumar, who is on a three-day visit to the state to review election preparedness.

To a query on possible election date, the CEC said it has to be conducted before May 24, when the tenure of the current assembly comes to an end. He directed the official machinery to gear up for a fair and transparent elections in the state. 

Mangaluru, Mar 12: As the heat wave has led to sporadic forest fires on the Western Ghats, the South Western Railway has formed a special team to monitor and douse such fires between Subrahmanya and Siribagilu of the Mangaluru - Bengaluru route.

On Saturday, a Mangaluru-Vijayapura train was stopped at Subrahmanya Road railway station due to a forest fire.

According to sources, six incidents of fire have been reported last three days. “Whenever a fire is reported near the track, the movement of the trains is stopped. We have deputed our men to the section to monitor the fire situation. Stationary watchmen have been deputed to all the sensitive areas up to Subrahmanya Road from Sakleshpur,” a source said. 

“On noticing fire near the track, a message was sent to the nearest station master. Immediately, a BFR wagon with a 10,000-litre capacity water tank proceeded to the place to douse the fire," it added. 

DCF Mangaluru Division Dr Dinesh Kumar Y K said that when he along with railway officials inspected forest areas near Siribagilu and Yedekumeri on March 8, railway officials revealed spotting a forest fire at Siribagilu which is likely to affect the movement of trains. 

“During the inspection, I suggested using jet pipes to douse the fire,” DCF said.

He said that the railway personnel are monitoring the forest fire and in case they come across a fire, they will spray water to prevent the spread along the track. 

On forest fires in other parts of the district, the DCF said that they are under control.

Hubballi, Mar 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dedicated to the nation the "longest railway platform in the world" at Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Hubballi Station near here.

The record has been recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records recently, officials said, adding that the 1,507 m long platform has been built at a cost of about Rs 20 crore.

Modi at an event here, also dedicated the electrification of Hosapete – Hubballi – Tinaighat section and the upgradation of Hosapete station, for boosting connectivity in the region.

Developed at a cost of over Rs 530 crore, the electrification project establishes seamless train operation on electric traction. The redeveloped Hosapete station will provide convenient and modern facilities to travellers. It has been designed to resemble the Hampi monuments, officials said.

The PM also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various projects of Hubballi-Dharwad smart city. The total estimated cost of these projects is about Rs 520 crores.

He also laid the foundation stone of the Jayadeva Hospital and Research Centre, which will be developed at a cost of about Rs. 250 crores and will provide tertiary cardiac care to the people of the region, and for the Dharwad Multi Village Water Supply Scheme, which will be developed at a cost of over Rs. 1,040 crores.

He also laid the foundation stone for Tupparihalla Flood Damage Control Project, which will be developed at a cost of about Rs 150 crores,officials said.

The project aims to mitigate damage caused by floods and involves construction of retaining walls and embankments.