Udupi: The district administrations of Udupi and Chikkamagalur (Chikkam, for you) are in mutual communications, ahead of issuing a by-poll notification for the March 18 event of voting, to pick an MP for 15 months or less.

The Countdown has begun with main candidates being named in BJP and Congress. The JD-s has little influence here, whether Puja Gandhi contest or Ramya, for that matter.

The joint parliamentary constituency has 8 assembly segments of Udupi, Karkala, Kundapura and Kaup (Udupi) besides Sringeri, Mudigere and Tarikere, also Chikkam.

There are 1510 polling booths. Under CEC norms, one booth can have only 1,300 voters or less.

But here, in Udupi there are 6,27,000 voters and in Chikkam there are 6,18,400 voters.

The number of voters increases as applications are accepted for Epic cards till February 23, and electoral lists are uploaded as on February 29, finally.

The notification on by-polls would be issued on Wednesday, February 22, Udupi DC, M.T. Reju pressmen at his office, on Tuesday.

Nominations are accepted till February 29, heeded. A model code of conduct is in force already.

Counting of votes would be on March 21, the returning officer informed. There were no complications in the Voters list and voting machines (EVM).

Sensitive and hyper sensitive booths are noted by the police officials.