Karnataka poll: 66 per cent voting in first phase

Contrary to projections of a modest polling in Saturday's first phase of Karnataka assembly polls, 66 per cent of 1.73 crore electorate exercised their franchise in 89 of the total 224 constituencies in the dominant Vokkaliga belt, home turf of Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Deve Gowda and Congress strongman S M Krishna.

Chief Electoral Officer M N Vidyashankar said on Sunday an average of 66 per cent polling was registered in the first phase of elections in the segments spread over 11 districts.

This is higher than the 65.07 per cent average polled in the 224 assembly segments in 2004 polls.

Bengaluru rural registered the highest polling percentage of 78.1 per cent while Bruhat Bangalore Maha Palike registered the lowest percentage of 44.5, he told reporters.

Tumkur saw a voter turnout of 74.4 per cent, Chickballapura, 77.7 per cent, Kolar 73.1 per cent, Ramanagara 75.9 percent, Bengaluru 52.14 percent and Mandya 73 per cent.

Hassan registered a poll percentage of 75.4 percent, Mysore 67.5 per cent, Kodagu 65.7 per cent and Chamarajanagar 72.41 per cent, he said.

Barring BBMP and Bengaluru urban, the polling percentage was 72.2 percent. Traditionally BBMP and Bengaluru urban are known to have a low voter turnout, he said, adding the Election Commission curbs on buntings, posters and hoardings was not the reason for the low turnout.

In Hoskote 151 polling booths saw a polling percentage of 90 per cent, he said.

Meanwhile, repolling has been ordered at a polling station in Malleshwaram and another in Ramanagara following malfunctioning of EVMs in both these polling stations.

Repolling will be conducted on Monday between 7 am and 5 pm, Vidyashankar said.