The Karnataka Assembly elections saw a 70% voter turnout on May 12, the Election Commission said in New Delhi. The last Assembly election in 2013 had witnessed 71.4% polling, it said.
The polling figure is likely to go up as some voters were still queued up at the polling stations after 6 p.m.
As what is projected as a tight race by exit polls, voting was held in 222 out of 224 seats in a three-cornered contest among the ruling Congress, the BJP and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s JD(S).
Over 2,600 candidates are in the fray — more than 2400 men and and over 200 women. There are a total of 5,06,90,538, voters of whom 2,56,75,579 male voters, 2,50,09,904 female and 5,055 transgender voters.
Counting of votes will take place on May 15.
Faulty electronic voting machines (EVMs), VVPAT-mismatch, technical glitches disrupted polling in several parts of the State, but that didn't deter voters from casting their ballot. Despite Friday night rains, voters turned out in large numbers.
Election in the R.R. Nagar constituency in Bengaluru has been postponed following the seizure of over 9,000 voter ID cards. Election in Jayanagar in the city has also been countermanded following the demise of BJP candidate and sitting MLA Vijay Kumar.
Here are the live updates:
Indicating a tight race between the BJP and the Congress, most exit polls for the Karnataka Assembly elections have forecast a hung assembly with the JD(S) likely to play the king-maker, but were divided on which of the two national parties will emerge as the largest in the House.
There was 70% voter turnout in the Karnataka Assembly elections, voting for which concluded at 6 p.m., the Election Commission has announced. During the 2013 Assembly elections, the voter turnout was 71.45%.
Polling ends; over 64% turnout reported till 5 p.m., State electoral officials.
Voting figures till 5 p.m.
Dakshin Kannada
About 72.05% voters have exercised their their franchise till 5 p.m. A total of 79.07%, 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%
Kalaburagi district 56.54%
Afzalpur: 60.61%
Jevargi: 61.00%
Chittapur: 54.02%
Sedam: 67.78%
Chincholi: 59.50%
Gulbarga Rural:52.00%
Gulbarga Dakshin: 43.44%
Gulbarga Uttar: 52.14%
Aland: 63.93%
Ballari district 69.23%
Hadagali 72.02
Hagari Bommanahalli 73.39
Vijayanagar 65.21
Kampli 73.43
Sirguppa 71.82
Ballari 68.15
Ballari city 59.97
Sandur 69.15
Kudligi 71.68
Gadag district 66%
Shirhatti 69%.
Gadag 63%
Ron 67%,
Nargund 69%
Uttar Kannada 69.65%
Haliyal 67.68%
Karwar 64.12%
Kumta 75.99%
Bhatkal 70%
Sirsi 70.43%
Bidar district 59.08%
Basavakalyan: 59.68%
Humnabad: 59.67%
Bidar South: 57.38%
Bidar: 57.97%
Bhalki: 60.28%
Aurad: 59.08%
Dakshina Kannada 72.05%
Belthangadi - 78
Moodbidre -65
North -71.29
South- 64.93
Ullala - 71.51
Bantwal -79.07
Puttur -78.47
Sulllia - 75.30
Repoll in Lottegollahalli booth
The Election Commission has announced there will be repolling at a booth in Bengaluru’s Hebbal constituency after a ballot unit there suffered a malfunction.
“There will be repolling at a polling station in Lottegollahalli in Hebbal due to the malfunctioning of a ballot unit,” Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar told reporters in Bengaluru.
The polling at this booth will be held on May 14 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., an official statement from the EC in Bengaluru said.
Voting across the State suffered minor glitches, with a total of 164 polling units and 157 control units of the EVMs along with 470 Voters Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) were found to be malfunctioning, Mr. Kumar said.
Earlier in the day, voting was suspended in booth number 2, Hebbal Assembly constituency after several voters complained that VVPAT receipt was different from the vote they cast on the EVM.
As many as 49 voters sought permission to cast their votes again since their choice and the candidate they voted for according to VVPAT differed.
Polling was interrupted for 20 minutes in Kittanur in Mahadevapura after a snake was found close to the polling booth.
Whatsapp rumours
Meanwhile, a false news is reportedly being circulated in instant messaging platforms that voting time has been extended till 6.30 pm. Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad S.B. Bommanhalli has clarified that no communication with regard to extension had been received so far.
Ballari DC Ramprasath Manohar clarified: "Polling will come to an end at 6.00 pm. At 6.00 pm, whoever is standing in queue will be given tokens for voting. Only those with tokens would be allowed to vote."
52% polling till 3 pm
A total of 52.4 per cent voters have exercised their franchise till 3 pm. Udupi and Bengaluru (rural) have polled 62 per cent — the highest, while Bengaluru (North) has polled 39 per cent — the lowest.
It may be noted that Bengaluru (Rural) had polled just 57.3 per cent in the 2013 Assembly elections.
In Hubbali, heavy downpour coupled with strong winds, thunder and lightning forced voters to stay indoors during afternoon.
Siddaramaiah confident of Congress victory
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his son Yathindra after cast their votes at the Suddaramana Hundi polling centre in Mysuru on May 12, 2018.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserted that the Congress would come back to power with a clear majority and termed his political rival, BJP’s B.S. Yeddyurappa as “mentally disturbed” after the latter claimed that he would form the next government in the State.
Mr. Siddaramaiah also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, charging that income tax raids were ordered against Congress workers and well-wishers out of desperation because the saffron party was sure of losing the elections. The issue would be raised with the Election Commission of India after the polls and in Parliament, he said.
Youth takes photo of casting his vote, posts it on FB
A youth in Hassan has allegedly broken the secrecy of voting by taking a photo while casting his vote and uploading the same on his Facebook account.
Akshay Bridal posted the photo of pressing the button opposite BJP candidate Preetham Gowda on the Electronic Voting Machine.
He posted the picture on the FB account with a caption – ‘Vote For..’ – a sort of social media campaign for the BJP candidate. The photo was liked by many on his account and it went viral in the city. However, he removed the post later.
Congress candidate attacked
Sathish GT reports from Hassan :
B.P. Manje Gowda, Congress candidate in the Holenarasipur constituency, was attacked, allegedly by JD(S) workers at Parasanahalli. An angry mob, according to Mr. Gowda, threw stones at his car and his assistant Supreeth suffered a head injury. He said he received information from his workers that a JD(S) worker was casting votes on behalf of other voters at Parasanahalli village. “When I reached the polling station, I noticed Manjunath, a JD(S) worker, casting vote on behalf of many others. When I questioned this, he defended it by saying he was voting on behalf of his family members. When I came out to complain to senior officers about the incident, a group surrounded my car and threw stones”, he said.
Following the incident, Rapid Action Force personnel reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Mr. Gowda said he would appeal to the Election Commission of India for a re-poll at Parasanahalli.
Cash for votes
A party worker seen distributing currency notes to voters standing in queue at Ramagondanahalli in Mahadepura constituency.
Along with reports of brisk polling in many polling stations, there were also reports of voters being enticed with cash.
In the morning, the Kolar Rural police arrested four persons on charges of enticing voters. They were reportedly distributing nose rings to women voters.
At a polling station at Masti in the Malur constituency, a man was seen distributing money to voters, who were coming out of the polling booth. Poll officials and police are yet to ascertain the identity of the person and for whom he was distributing the cash.
Man dies after casting vote
M.T. Shivakumar reports :
Thimme Gowda (55) of Vaddarahalli village in Pandavapura taluk died minutes after he cast his vote. He was suffering from health problems for a while, his family members said.
He was brought to the polling booth in a wheelchair and immediately after casting his vote, he fell down and died outside the booth.
36.9% turnout till 1 pm
The State witnessed a brisk polling of 36.9 per cent till 1 pm.
Dakshina Kannada polled 47 per cent, while Bengaluru Urban polled 28 per cent, the highest and lowest respectively.
Faulty EVM delays voting at Shivajinagar
Mohit M. Rao reports :
Polling was disrupted at St. Xavier's Boys High School in Shivajinagar, Bengaluru, after one EVM malfunctioned in the morning. The replacement too malfunctioned.
Voting started only at 8.15 a.m. at the second booth in the St. Xavier's Boys High school. This has meant that the polling percentage is only 18% in this booth, while in the neighbouring booth, it is over 30%.
"The VVPAT was displaying a mismatch error and not accepting the ballot. We got another ballot unit; but even that did not work. Replacing the entire unit didn't help either. We did some trial and error, and found that a mixture of the old and new units worked," said Manjunath, a polling official.
As message that the booth started functioning spread, long lines started forming. Polling officials said because of the delays, they haven't been able to have breakfast nor can they have lunch now.
Voting has been stopped at Kyatanakere in the Belur constituency due to a technical problem in the control unit. The poll officials informed have informed sector officers.
Voting has been stopped for about an hour. So far, 83 people have cast their votes.
EVM malfunction leads to suspension of polling in Hebbal booth
K.V. Aditya Bharadwaj reports :
Voting has been suspended for now in booth number 2, Hebbal Assembly constituency after several voters complained that VVPAT receipt was different from the vote they cast on the EVM.
“I cast my vote for a particular party, but the VVPAT showed a vote for an independent candidate. I immediately raised the issue and complained. However, the polling officers continued with polling not believing me," said Krishna Chaitanya who voted at around 7:15 am.
Presiding officer of the booth Govindaraj said that they had lodged a complaint after several voters complained of this anomaly and their verification also revealed the same. Voting was suspended at 10.15 a.m. and by then a total of 49 votes were polled.
General observer Dr. Hari Om for the constituency and a team of BEL engineers rushed to the spot, checked the EVM and confirmed the defect.
Clash in Yelahanka
Imran Gowhar reports :
BJP and JD(S) workers clashed at a booth in the Yelahanka Assembly constituency.
The police, who rushed to the spot, said the BJP workers barged into the polling booth, accusing JD(S) workers sitting inside the booth of canvassing for their party candidate.
Heated arguments ensued between the two groups. The situation was tense for a while. Police intervened and pacified both the groups to allow voting.
No complaint has been registered so far.
Poll violations
Umesh Katti, BJP nominee from Hukkeri, allegedly violated the poll rules by guiding his wife Sheela after accompanying her into the polling station in Bellada Bagewadi village. He smiled for cameras and entered the station with her. Once he finished voting, he guided her to vote.
AAP candidate in Hubballi Dharwad Central constituency Santosh Naragund alleges harassment by police. He says permitted banners are being forcefully being removed by them outside polling stations.
Police resorted to baton-charging to disperse Congress and BJP activists who were clashing, exchanging heated arguments and disturbing the poll process in Marapalli village in Chincholi constituency, Kalaburagi district.
21.2% polling till 11 a.m.
According to state electoral authorities, the highest 31 per cent voting was recorded in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts respectively at 11 am while Bengaluru urban recorded the lowest at 17 per cent.
Here is a select list of percentage polled in various disticts.
| Bagalkot | 24.98% |
| Belagavi (Belgaum) | 26.6% |
| Ballari | 11% |
| Bidar | 19.40% |
| Vijayapura (Bijapur) | 22.6% |
| Chikballapur | 11% |
| Chikkamagaluru | 10% |
| Chitradurga | 8% |
| Davanagere | 9% |
| Dharwad | 10% |
| Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) | 22.10% |
| Mysuru | 19.43% |
Yeddyurappa votes
Former Chief Minister and BJP's chief ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa casts his vote at Shikaripura.
Former Chief Minister and BJP's chief ministerial candidate B.S. Yeddyurappa casts his vote at Shikaripura, where he is contesting from.
Speaking to presspersons later, he expressed the confidence that the BJP would come to power on its own. The administration machinery had become paralysed under the Congress rule and the government had become insensitive to the problems faced by the common people. The Congress would be dislodged from power, he said.
His sons, B.Y. Raghavendra and B.Y. Vijayendra, accompanied him.
Before leaving to exercise his franchise, Mr. Yeddyurappa with his party workers went to offer prayers at the ‘Sankata Vimochana Anjaneya’ at Shikaripura in his constituency.
Kagodu Thimmappa, Revenue Minister cast his vote in Sagar city. The district registers 21 percent polling by 11 am.
Relatively high turnout in Bengaluru
Mohit M. Rao reports :
Bengaluru is generally a laggard when it comes to voting turnout. However, long queues were seen early in the morning in many booths, and the city is neck and neck in terms of turnout with other rural constituencies.
One of the factors could be fear of rains. The past two days have seen intense rainfall in the evenings, and weathermen predict a high chance of thunderstorms in the city after 2 p.m.
However, there is also an increased interest in voting among urban voters - as evident in social media posts of inked fingers and calls by citizens urging fellow citizens to vote.
In places such as Whitefield, for instance, buses have been arranged by citizens to ferry those in gated communities to vote. While previously just 200 people had voted in this booth, this year, by 10 a.m., over 200 had already voted.
You vote, your kid gets better marks!
A parent registers herself at New Blossoms Education Society by showing her inked finger.
The campaigns for higher turn out often say exercising your franchise will give the next generation a better tomorrow. Some private schools in the State have given it a new spin.
The New Blossoms Education Society in Bengaluru, for instance, is awarding four marks for their students in the mid-semester examinations, provided their parents show their inked finger.
Several parents were seen queuing up outside the school. Besides this, they can also drop their names for a lucky draw.
Gender empowerment in the time of voting
Women show their voter ID cards at the 'selfie' spot at Gudas Government High School booth in Hukkeri Taluk.
For the first time in Karnataka, all-woman polling booths have been established across the State. Called ‘Sakhi’, these pink booths are those fully managed by women officers.
Pictures of women staff dressed in pink clothing adorn the booth. The police staff here too are women. There are women medical staff too, equipped with necessary first aid material and ORS packs.
In some pink booths, voters are greeted with roses. There are 'selfie booths' too in these premises.
The idea is to encourage more voters to cast their ballot without fail.
The pink booth made its debut in the Punjab Assembly polls and is being followed since then.
A Sakhi booth in Yadgir.
Polling delayed at some booths in Mandya
Technical glitches delayed voting at some booths in Mandya district on Saturday. The district has seven Assembly segments and 84 candidates, including Independents.
While polling started on a low note at many booths, it was brisk at some places, especially in K.R. Pet and Srirangapatna taluks.
Transgender votes for first time
Akkai Padamshali, a noted transgender activist who voted for the first time in the elections, says it has been a 16-year long time to exercise her democratic right.
Akkai Padmashali shows her ink-marked finger and voter ID card after casting her vote.
Till now, election officials had refused to enroll her as a "female" in the cards. However, earlier this year, after nearly a year of process, she was given a voters ID card. "It is a great happiness that I can finally vote," she says.
Also read: Akkai makes her marriage official - first marriage of transgender in Karnataka
Transgenders flash their voter ID cards where their gender is mentioned as 'others' for the first time.
Several transgenders queued up to cast their votes. For many of them it the first time they are voting with the recognition of "other" category. The EPIC or voter ID cards usually carries the gender as either "Male" or "Female". Last year, the "other" category was included.
According to data available with the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), transgender voter registration has doubled from the previous Assembly elections and 4,552 have registered this year in the State.
VVPAT machines used for voting
The voter verified paper audit trail, better known as VVPAT got a thumbs-up from many voters.
Prashanth B.R., a businessman from Hosakote says: “The machines this year are better as we get to see which candidate and party we have voted for after we press the button.”
Meanwhile, voting was delayed in Kannur in Gokak taluk after some voters complained that they were unable to see the images of the voted slip in the VVPAT unit.
Age no bar
Ghashabi, 95, from Bhimalli village in the Gulbarga Dakshin constituency exercised her franchise at 9.30 a.m.
Ghashabi, 95, of Bhimalli village in Gulbarga Dakshin constituency shows her ink-marked finger after casting her vote.
She claims that the she had witnessed the attack of Razakars (the army of Hyderabad Nizam) in 1948. She also claims that she had exercised her franchise in all the elections in Independent India.
Ghashabi is not alone. Several nonagenarians and centenarians are casting their votes. This includes the 111-year-old Siddaganga Mutt seer Shivakumara Swami.
Very senior citizens and differently-abled people are allowed directly inside the booth without standing in queue. These persons can bring a companion with them too.
Dr. Shivakumara Swami, the 111-year-old seer of Siddaganga Mutt casts his vote in Tumakuru.
Ola and Uber services down
Since May 11, Ola and Uber services are down as most drivers are from the old Mysuru region. They've gone back to their villages to vote. Ravi, a driver with Uber, went to Pavagada taluk, to vote. Venkata Reddy, a driver, went back to Sidlaghatta over the weekend to vote. “Voting is near-compulsory as the village head questions us if we don't vote. If we vote, the village head will help us in issues in our village.”
Anil Kumble tweets out
Anil Kumble posts a selfie from the polling booth in Bengaluru.
"Waiting for our turn to vote! Urging everyone to exercise their rights as citizens!" veteran cricketer and former Team India coach Anil Kumble tweeted at 9:20 am.
An average of 10% votes have been cast till 9 am, according to the Chief Electoral officer
EC ropes in Facebook
Facebook has created reminders for its users to vote for the election on Saturday. The reminder also provides option to upload a photo to show you have voted.
Facebook is filled with posts of people posing with their inked fingers. The Election Commission of India has tied up with Facebook for its SWEEP campaign to urge more adults to exercise their franchise.
Yaduveer votes for the first time
Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar shows his voter ID card while standing in a queue to cast his vote at a polling centre in Mysuru on Saturday.
Mysuru Special Correspondent reports:
Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar exercised his franchise for the first time in Mysuru. He was in the U.S. pursuing his graduation during the 2013 elections. Standing in the queue as a common man, the 25-year-old scion of the Mysuru Royal family waited for his turn and cast his ballot at a polling booth in the Krishnaraja constituency. He urged people to vote without fail as it was their responsibility.
Dakshina Kannada 7.3%
Ansil Kumar Sastry, Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada witnessed 7.3% voting by 9 a.m. Enthusiastic voters lined up in front of booths despite the heavy rains on Friday night. Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel exercised his franchise at Lady Hill in Mangaluru.
Kumaraswamy will become CM: Revanna
Hassan Special Correspondent reports: “If the Congress comes to power, the State would face drought. I am confident, people will vote for the JD(S) hoping for a good rainy season,” Former Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Revanna said after casting his vote at Paduvalahippe in the Holenarsipur constituency. “The JD(S) would come to power and H.D. Kumaraswamy would become Chief Minister of the State,” Mr. Revanna said. His son Prajwal Revanna seconded his father's statement that if the Congress comes to power the State would face drought.
Rains fail to dampen voters’ spirit
Voters stand in queue to cast their vote at a booth in MS palya, in Bengaluru on Saturday.
After a night of heavy rains, Bengaluru woke up to a cool morning. Several voters from across the city reached their polling booths early in the morning to cast their votes in the 2018 Assembly elections.
Polling delayed in Udupi
Voting was delayed by an hour at booth no. 186 at Kukkikatte in the Udupi Assembly constituency due to technical snag in an EVM. Polling began around 8.10 a.m. after the EVM was replaced. As there was a delayed start, the BJP demanded extension of polling at the booth by an hour.
Roads damaged in Belagavi
Many voters faced difficulties in approaching a booth in Shva Basava Nagar in Belagavi due to damaged and water-logged roads as there were heavy rains in the area on Friday night. A part of the road had been dug up for laying cables under the Smart Cities project.
Deve Gowda casts his vote
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda arrivs at a booth in Paduvalahippe in Holenarsipur to exercise his franchise.
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, accompanied by wife Channamma, son Revanna, daughter-in-law Bhavani Revanna and grandson Prajwal, visited the Kodandarama temple next to the booth before exercising their franchise. Earlier in the day, he visited temples at Holenarsipur, Haradanahalli and Mavinakere.
Mr. Gowda exuded confidence that his parry will come to power and the situation of seeking an alliance will not arise. After casting his vote at a booth in Paduvalahippe in Holenarsipur constituency Mr. Gowda said, the Congress and the BJP had spent huge money for the elections. “Our party cannot match those parties in terms of resources. If voters support us without heeding to the resources spent, we will win. I know voters of this constituency very well,” he said, adding that he had been with them for the last 50 years.
Faulty EVMs replaced
Special Correspondent reports from Hassan: Mock polling was conducted after the electronic voting machines (EVMs), Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines and control units were replaced at Paduvalahippe polling booth in the Holenarsipur constituency in the morning.
Election officers reached the booth and replaced the machines following complaints of technical glitch in the EVMs. 29 people had voted by then.
The officers briefed the polling agents that the votes cast earlier would also be accounted for and that the EVMs used earlier would be sealed separately.
Polling was disrupted for nearly 30 minutes.
Staff Reporter from Shivamogga: Polling was stopped for 45 minutes owing to technical glitch in an electronic voting machine (EVM) at a polling station in Shanthi Nagar locality in Shivamogga segment limits.
Kumar Buradikatti reports from Yadgir: By the time a technical problem was noticed, 31 voters had cast their votes. Polling resumed after the EVM was replaced by the sector officer.
There was a brief halt in voting at Polling Station 7 in Yadgir and polling station 8 in Shorapur due to technical problems. But voting resumed after a few minutes.
Modi, Siddaramaiah and Rahul tweet
On Friday evening, while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in Kannada asking people of Karnataka to vote and participate in the festival of democracy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the people, especially youngsters, to come out and cast their votes and celebrate the festival of democracy. Mr. Siddaramaiah also urged them to remember the ''progress of the State'' in the last 5 years.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet on Saturday, welcomed the yougsters who are voting for the first time. The voter turnout is sign of dynamic democracy, he said.
Technical glitch in EVMs at Paduvalalu, Paduvalahippe
Polling has been delayed at Paduvalalu polling station in the Belur constituency due to technical glitch in EVMs. The polling staff have informed the senior officials for replacement of the defective machines. Voters have been asked to wait until then.
Polling has been stopped at Paduvalahippe in the Holenarsipur constituency due to a technical issue in the EVMs.
Polling has been delayed at Booth no. 185 in Lamington School of Hubballi after EVMs developed technical snags.
Voting begins
Voting began in the 222 Assembly constituencies at 7 a.m. People were seen waiting in a long queue at a polling centre in Mysuru.
People wait in queue to exercise their franchise at a polling booth in Mysuru on Saturday.
