Karnataka Assembly Polls 2018: Live Updates

The state of Karnataka is all set to go for polls today with 222 seats and 4.9 crore voters. The Congress with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as the face of the party, the state flag, special status to the Lingayats and President Rahul Gandhi's unparalleled visits is expected to give a boost to the party. Meanwhile, the BJP with star campaigners Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, BJP Chief Amit Shah and PM Modi himself, bought up issues of anti-incumbency, farmer suicides and law and order failure to hit out the opposition. Janata Dal (Secular) led by former PM HD Deve Gowda is also seen as a big contender.


07.20 PM

70 percent voter turnout in Karnataka Assembly polls
The high-stakes Karnataka Assembly elections saw a 72.13 percent voter turnout on Saturday,  the Election Commission said in New Delhi.
The last Assembly election in 2013 had witnessed 71.4 percent polling, it said. This year's polling has beat the record of 71.90% in 1978. Hence this year's polling has been the highest since the last 30 years.
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6.32 PM

72% voter turn out  in Dakshina Kannada
Dakshi Kannada exhibited better turnout than rest of Karnataka. Till 5 pm, about 1 hour before the polling closed, about 72.05 percent voters had exercised their franchise. A total of 79.07 percent, the highest number of people, came out to vote in Bantwal.
Belthangadi - 78%
Moodbidre -65%
North Karnataka-71.29%
South Karnataka- 64.93%
Ullala - 71.51%
Puttur -78.47%
Sulllia - 75.30%
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6.12 PM

Voting for Karnataka elections 2018 ends. Exit polls to be out soon
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6.04 PM

157 control units had problems: EC
The Election Commission said that in all the 164 polling units, 157 control units and 470 VVPATs had mechanical problems and were replaced. The EVM failures were within prescribed limits.
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5.47 PM

Update: 61.25% recorded till 5 PM
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5.40 PM

Re-polling to take place in Hebbal assembly constituency: the Chief Election Commissioner has clarified that re-polling will take place in a polling station in Lottegollahalli in Hebbal due to malfunctioning of a ballot unit. The re-election is likely to take place on Monday.
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5.30 PM

Badami: Polling booth No 142, 143 & 144 in Tippu Nagar witness less turnout of voters. Locals say, 'turnout is low as many residents are out of the district due to lack of employment here. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah is contesting against BJP's Sriramulu from Badnami constituency.
ANI
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4.35 PM

Congress candidate attacked in Parasanahalli: Congress candidate from Holenarasi[ur, BP Manje Gowda was allegedly attacked by JD(S) workers at Parasanahalli. Gowda said the mob threw stones at his car and his assistant suffered a head injury in the incident.
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4.32 PM

Tarkaspet village in Kalburagi boycotts election: Majority of the 3500 residents of Chittapur taluk's Tarkaspet village in Kalburagi district are boycotting elections over their demand for Gram Panchayat headquarters for their village.
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4.27 PM

Rain lashed parts of Hubli affecting voting, voters take shelter at Polling Station 185.
ANI
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4.15 PM

43-degree Celsius temperature in Kalaburgi affects the voter turn out. Locals say, 'there was a rush at the booths in the morning, but now there is hardly any crowd at the booths as the temperature is quite high. Right now, it is more than 40 degrees.'

ANI

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4:00 pm

Majority of residents in the 3500 populated Tarkaspet village in Kalburgi district are boycotting the election over demand for a gram headquarter.

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3:30 pm

"Amit Shah is like a comedy show and Narendra Modi's image has drastically declined. His speeches are completely hollow and have made no impact on the voters of Karnataka. Therefore, we are not worried.": Chief minister Siddaramaiah (ANI)
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3:10 pm

UPDATE: 56% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm (ANI)
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3:00 pm

Over 500 'Pink booths' have been set up across the state exclusively for women voters. These booths are being run entirely by women-from the presiding officers to the security personnel. The Election Commission of India took the step to encourage more women voters to come forward and vote. (CLICK TO READ: Pink Booths To Third Generation EVMs, Several Firsts In Karnataka)

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2:40 pm

Perhaps the 'flashiest voter'? An interesting voter dropped at a booth in Shimoga constituency after he arrived at the polling station wearing 1.75 kg of gold jewellery. (News18)

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2:20 pm

Age No Bar: Hundred-year-old Lakshmi Karanth, who has been voting since the first ever general elections, exercised her franchise in the Assembly elections along with her family. Karanth says, "Everybody should go out and vote, whether young or old." Another elderly person, 105-year-old Homballamma cast her vote in Hassan. She has been voting since 1952. (News18)

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2:05 pm

Even till afternoon, Dakshina Kannada remains on top as far as voting percentage is concerned. The region has recorded 47% votes till now. The break up of other regions are as follows:

1) Yalahanka: 34.34%
2) Byatarayanapura: 32.65%
3) Yashavantapura: 29%
4) Dasarahalli: 21.90%
5) Mahadevpura: 30%
6) BNG south: 32.52%
7) Anekal: 30%

Average: 30.04% (News18)

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1:47 pm 

Clashes had broken out between Congress and BJP workers outside a polling booth in Hampi Nagar, allegedly after the former thrashed a BJP corporator. Ravindra, Vijayanagar, BJP candidate says, "Our corporator Anand was attacked but police isn't taking any action".

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1:30 pm

UPDATE: 36.5% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm. (ANI)

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1:20 pm

An engaged couple to be married today cast their votes before leaving for the wedding ceremony.
(Firstpost)
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1:00 pm

EARLIER IN THE DAY: Deceased journalist Gauri Lankesh's brother came to cast his vote in a polling booth at Koromangala. (News18)

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12:40 pm

"There is no doubt congress will form government with complete majority, will get more than 120 seats. I am very confident. Yeddyurappa is mentally disturbed.": Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah at Mysoru's Varuna polling booth. (ANI)

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12:20 pm

The Congress on Saturday took a shot at Prime Minister Modi's ongoing visit to Nepal, calling it an at to influence the Hindu voters. "As model code of conduct was enforced in Karnataka, PM Modi planned to pray at temples in Nepal instead, just to influence voters," senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot told news agencies. (WATCH: PM Modi offers prayers at iconic Muktinath temple in Nepal)

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12:00 pm

Nisarga Grand hotel located at Nrupatunga Road is giving free coffee and dosas to youngsters encouraging them to vote in the elections. "Considering the poor voter turnout in the city, we have come up with this idea to offer free dosa and coffee," hotel owner Krishna Raj SP told news agencies. (News18)

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11:30 am

BJP will emerge as the single largest party with three digits numbers. The Lingayat issue will be a boomerang for Congress: R Rajagopalan, Senior Journalist to Times Now.

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11:15 am

UPDATE: 24% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

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11:00 am

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar casts his vote at a polling booth in Kanakapura. (News18)

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10:50 am

The fight over the number of seats continues to ensue between the political parties.

BJP chief, Amit Shah: "We will win 130 seats."

BJP CM candidate, BS Yeedyurappa: "We will definitely win 150 seats"

Congress leader, Mallikarjun Kharge: "Forget getting 150. BJP will not win more than 60-70."

JDS leader, HD Deve Gowda: "I will win all of the seats."

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10:40 am 

Former Indian cricketer and current head coach for the Under-19 team, Rahul Dravid arrives to cast his vote.

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10:20 am

Jo Jeeta 'Shirahatti' Wohi Sikandar: The bell weather seat has always voted for the party that forms the government in 12 elections. BJP's Sri Ramanna Lamani is pitted against sitting Congress' MLA Doddamani Ramakrishn Shiddalingpa here

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9: 50 am

Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble and his family wait to cast their votes at a polling booth. (News18)

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9:40 am 


"Whichever party comes in power needs to understand the issues of the younger generation": Voter to Mirror Now

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9:30 am

UPDATE: 10.6% voter turnout recorded till 9:15 am

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9:20 am

BS Yeddyurappa has  not been in the forefront in the election campaigning. Especially when you are with big personalities like PM Modi and Amit Shah, he is not even featured in the newspapers: Ajay Bose (Panelist, CNN News18)

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9:00 am

The real 'Temple Run': Contesting candidates are leaving no stone unturned to seek blessings from the Almighty on the D-Day. While BJP's BS Yeddyurappa started his day by offering morning prayers at a temple in Shikarpur, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife arranged for special prayers to be performed at the Nanjundeswara temple for her husband and son Dr Yathindra. Meanwhile JD(S) state chief H D Kumaraswamy seeking blessings of Adichunchanagiri Mutt seer in Vijaynagar.

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8: 40 am

  

Wife of JD(S) candidate GT Deve Gowda Chamundeshwari forces election personnel to shift the EVM machine to a "better place" due to 'Vaastu Shastra'. (Moneycontrol)

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8:20 am

BJP worker arrested for stalling voting in Hebbala assembly seat by threatening voters not to vote before local BJP MLA Narayanaswamy casts his vote.

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8:00 am


As of now, 6 EVMs are not working, faulty ones are being replaced. Power failure due to heavy rainfall last night is being seen as a reason. (News18)
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7:48 am

Over 2,600 candidates are in the fray- more than 2400 men and and over 200 women. The total voters are 5,06,90,538, of whom 2,56,75,579 male voters, 2,50,09,904 female and 5,055 transgender voters. (News18)

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7:15 am

Early Risers: BJP Chief Ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Sadananda Gowda are the first to cast their vote in Shimoga and Puttur constituency seats respectively. (ANI)

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7:00 am 

Voting begins for 222 assembly seats in the state of Karnataka.

While the Karnataka Assembly has a total of 225 members, elections are held for only 224 seats as one member is nominated to the House. But it will only take place in 222 seats today after the Election Commission last evening postponed voting for Rajarajeswari Nagar constituency to May 28 pending enquiry into the voter ID row. The polling in Jayanagar constituency was also countermanded following the death of BJP candidate VN Vijay Kumar.

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6:50 am 

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6:40 am

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6:30 am

Section 144 has been imposed in capital city Bengaluru till Sunday 6 pm as per the report by Bengaluru Police Commissioner TN Suneel Kumar. The report added that the police has also undertaken "adequate measures" to maintain law and order in the city, including sensitive in sensitive areas. (Firstpost)

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6:20 am

In a few hours, the 4.9 crore electorate will vote for over 2500 candidates, 222 assembly seats.