Karnataka bypolls: 31.02 % voter turnout

A voter turnout of 31.02 per cent was recorded till 1 p.m. in the 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka in the third round of polling, the Election Commission said on Thursday.

Constituency-wise voting percentage at 1 p.m. was 40.89 in Athani, 37.72 in Kagwad, 37.37 in Gokak, 41.72 in Yellapur and 38.63 in Hirekeru.

In Ranibennur, the voting percentage was 36.09, while in Vijayanagara 34.95 per cent, 39.03 per cent was recorded in Chikkaballapur, 14.44 per cent in K.R. Pura, 27.29 per cent in Yeshwantpura, 22.71 per cent in Mahalakshmi Layout and 12.79 per cent in Shivajinagar.

In Hosakote, 33.24 per cent voting was recorded, 39.47 per cent in Krishnarajapete and 38.20 per cent in Husunuru, the Election Commission said.

Earlier, with a total electorate of 4,87,857 voters in K.R. Pura, the constituency recorded 6.15 per cent voting with 30,005 people casting the vote by 9 a.m. and 13.05 per cent voting was recorded at 11 a.m. with 63,658 voters exercising their franchise.

Mahalakshmi Layout constituency has a total number of 2,85,869 voters. By 9 a.m., 23,458 voters cast their votes, recording 8.21 per cent voting and 44,910 voters exercised their franchise by 11 a.m., registering a voting percentage of 15.71

K.R. Pura and Mahalakshmi Layout constituencies fall under Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) North in Bengaluru city.

Under Bengaluru Urban, Yeshwantpura has a total voter base of 4,80,953 voters. By 9 a.m., 20,155 electors cast their votes, registering a voting percentage of 4.19 per cent and 63,145 voters cast their votes by 11 a.m., recording a voting percentage of 13.13 per cent.

Shivajinagar falls under the BBMP Central with a total voter base of 1,93,844 electors. By 9 a.m., 5,844 voters cast their votes, recording a voting percentage of 3.04 per cent and 24,794 voters exercised their franchise by 11 a.m., recording a voting percentage of 12.79

The fourth round of polling has been scheduled at 3 p.m., followed by round 5 at 5 p.m. First, second and third rounds of polling were held at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Election Commission said.

For the 15 Assembly bye-elections, 165 candidates, including 126 Independents and 9 women, are in the fray.

The counting will take places on December 9.IANS