Karnataka polls: 30 per cent cast votes till 1pm

Sat, May 10 02:11 PM

Bangalore, May 10 (PTI) About 30 per cent of an estimated 1.73 crore electorate today cast their votes by 1 pm in 89 assembly segments in Karnataka where the first phase of polling is underway under tight security cover.

Barring stray incidents of lathicharge by police and arrest of 30 persons on charge of attempts to cast bogus votes in the city and suspension of polling for some time in Varuna assembly segment in Mysore, the election process remained trouble free across the southern parts of the state, ADGP (Law and Order) Shankar Bidari told PTI here. In Varuna constituency where Congress heavyweight and former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah is locked in a multi-corner contest, voting was suspended for sometime in Hulimavu polling booth after BJP supporters complained that one of the election staff was canvassing for Congress.

The official who faced the charge was immediately removed and voting continued after replacing EVM, official sources said. BJP activists had been demanding re-poll in this polling station, but the authorities told them that the earlier EVM which was in operation has been taken off and kept in safe custody.

In Chickpet area, police chased away a group of people who had gathered before a polling booth apparently to cast bogus votes. In a similar incident reported from RT Nagar in Hebbal assembly segment, nearly 30 persons were taken into custody, police said.

About 58,000 security personnel were keeping vigil over the polling today which will decide the fate of 953 candidates. PTI.

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