The Hindu : Front Page : 60 % vote in Karnataka phase II

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 17, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

60 % vote in Karnataka phase II

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: Polling in the second phase of elections for 66 seats of the Karnataka Assembly held in 10 districts on Friday was by and large peaceful. In the first phase on May 10, elections were conducted for 89 seats. The third phase, covering the remaining 69 seats, is scheduled for May 22.

A violent incident in Bellary on Thursday, resulting in the transfer of the Superintendent of Police, and a shootout by a naxal group at Hebri in Udupi district in which two people were killed, did not have much impact on the polling.

Udupi and the neighbouring district of Dakshina Kannada recorded the highest polling percentage of 68. It was 55 per cent in Bellary.

Chief Electoral Officer M.N. Vidyashankar said the polling average was 60.3 per cent. It was 63.3 per cent in the first phase.

Heavy security

Director-General and Inspector-General of Police R. Srikumar told The Hindu that apart from the State police and the special anti-naxalite police, a number of platoons of Central paramilitary forces were on duty.

There was only one attempt at bogus voting in a polling station at the New Mangalore Port and even this was thwarted by the police. The polling percentages in the other districts were: Chikmagalur (63), Chitradurga (60), Davanagere (64), Koppal (62), Raichur (47), Shimoga (60) and Uttara Kannada (61).

Sources said voting in Shikaripur, where the former Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa of the Bharatiya Janata Party is facing another former Chief Minister, S. Bangarappa of the Samajwadi party, was brisk throughout the day and crossed the 70 per cent-mark at the end of polling. The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) came together to support Mr. Bangarappa here.

The other important candidates who figured in the second phase are the former Deputy Chief Minister, M.P. Prakash (Congress), and the former Ministers K.S. Eshwarappa (BJP) and Iqbal Ansari (JD-S).

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page