The Lok Sabha elections for Shivamogga constituency was peaceful on Tuesday.
The process was halted for some time owing to technical glitches in electronic voting machines (EVMs) at a polling station in Sominakoppa locality in Shivamogga city, and in Harishi village in Sorab taluk. It resumed after the faulty EVMs were replaced.
Both rural and urban areas in the district witnessed brisk polling from morning. The polling percentage was 24.58 by 11 a.m. and 68.65 by 5 p.m.
Madhu Bangarappa, Janata Dal (Secular) candidate for Shivamogga LS seat, cast his vote at the polling station at his native Kubatur village in Sorab taluk. He was accompanied by his wife Anitha.
K.S. Eshwarappa, Shivamogga MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister, voted in Shivamogga city. Heavy rain lashed parts of Bhadravati, Tirthahalli, and Sorab taluks from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. All the three taluks witnessed brisk polling from 3.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Many voters settled outside the district returned home to vote.
Sudhakar C., working in a private firm in Bengaluru, voted at his native Salur village in Shikaripur taluk.
Geetha Raghavendra, who arrived at the Sahki polling station at Government Girls Middle School in Shikaripur town to vote, said that, the smooth functioning of the Sakhi booths was a testimony to the skills of women to manage the election process on their own.
Karibasamma C., Maithry P.G., Kavya B.H., and Padmavathi M. were the officials deputed for this polling station.
Residents of Doddamatti, which falls under Kumsi Gram Panchayat limits, had announced a boycott as a token of protest against the delay in asphalting the road that connects their village with NH 206.
They withdrew their decision after the officials from Revenue and Police departments arrived to the village at 10.30 a.m. and promised to fulfill their demand at the earliest.
