Early Voting in Karnataka: 9.21% Turnout in 14 Constituencies

An estimated 9.21 per cent turnout was reported during the first two hours since voting began for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies in Karnataka on Friday.

Long queues were seen at polling booths, as people, especially senior citizens and morning walkers came out to vote during the early hours since the voting began at 7 am.

According ot election officials, voter turnout till 9 am was about 9.21 per cent.

Out of 14 segments that are going to polls today, highest turnout of 14.33 per cent was recorded in Dakshina Kannada, followed by Udupi-Chikmagalur 12.82 per cent, and least 7.70 per cent in Chamarajanagar and Mandya.

In the three constituencies in Bengaluru city the turnout was 9.08 percent in Bangalore South, 8.64 percent in Bangalore North and 8.14 percent in Bangalore South.

”We are seeing people coming out to vote in the morning itself, mostly to avoid summer heat in the later part of the day,” a poll official at a voting centre in Bangalore South segment said.

In the first phase, the Congress is contesting in all 14 seats, BJP has fielded nominees in 11 and its alliance partner JD(S), which joined the National Democratic Alliance in (NDA) in September last year, in three — Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.

Besides the three, the segments where elections are being held on Friday are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South and Chikkballapur.

IT industry veteran N R Narayana Murthy, his wife and nominated member of Rajya Sabha Sudha Murty, cricketing legend Rahul Dravid, Union Finance Minister and Rajya Sabha member Nirmala Sitharaman, and Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena were among the early voters in Bengaluru city.

Film actors Prakash Raj, Ganesh, Siddalinga Mahaswami of the Siddaganga Math, were among the other prominent personalities who cast their votes at respective polling booths.

The erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion and BJP candidate from Mysore Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, along with wife Trishika Kumari Devi and ”Rajmata” Pramoda Devi Wadiyar voted in Mysuru.

Home Minister G Parameshwara, Chikkballapur BJP candidate K Sudhakar, party’s Tumkur candidate V Somanna also cast their votes.

A bride exercised her franchise in Chikkamagaluru district, before reaching the wedding venue in the morning.