Voting got underway on December 10 for the biennial elections for 25 Karnataka Legislative Council seats from 20 Local Authorities' Constituencies.
The process, which began at 8 a.m., will conclude at 4 p.m. The results will be out on December 14, a day after the legislature session begins in Belagavi.
Out of a total of 90 candidates in the fray, 20 each are from BJP and Congress, while six are from JD(S).
These election are being held to fill the vacancies that will be created by the conclusion of the tenure of 25 MLCs on January 5, 2022.
The poll outcome will have an impact on the power equation in the 75-member Upper House where the ruling BJP wants to gain a majority by winning at least 13 seats. This would enable smooth passage of bills.
The runup to the polls had seen an intensive campaign by all parties, often ignoring COVID-19 protocols.
Though there is no formal pact, BJP is hopeful of JD(S) support in constituencies where the latter is not contesting. Former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had openly sought JD(S) support for BJP candidates.
Though JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said that local leaders have been authorised to take a decision depending on local equations, the party is expected to throw its weight behind the BJP in most places. A meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and JD(S) leader H.D. Devegowda had fuelled speculation of a formal tie-up.
Polls are being held for dual-member constituencies in Bijapur, Belagavi, Dharwad, Dakshina Kannada and Mysuru. The other seats are one each in Bidar, Kalaburagi, Uttara Kannada, Raichur, Ballari, Chitradurga, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Tumakuru, Mandya, Bengaluru Urban, Bangalore Rural, Kolar and Kodagu.
In Udupi district, Hebri and Someshwara polling stations recorded 100% polling. All seven voters cast their votes at Someshwara by 10.15 a.m. and all 16 voters exercised their franchise at Hebri by 11 a.m.
In Mangaluru, Karnataka BJP unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel exuded confidence that the party will win 15 of the 20 seats it is contesting in.
Mr. Kateel is confident that Minister for Social Welfare and Backward Classes Welfare Kota Srinivas Poojary, who is contesting from the local authorities’ constituency of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi for the fourth consecutive time, will win with a huge margin. It is a dual member constituency, which had recorded 45.98% polling till 10 a.m.
In the Neerumarga gram panchayat polling station on the outskirts of Mangaluru, 28 of 29 voters had exercised their franchise by 10 a.m.
In the Adyar gram panchayat polling booth, 30 of 31 voters had cast their vote by 10 a.m.
Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath cast his vote at the Mangaluru City Corporation polling booth where 59 of 68 voters had cast their votes by 10 a.m.
In Belagavi, after five hours of polling, only around 7% of votes had been cast. Officers said that only 660 of the 8,848 voters had exercised their franchise till 11 a.m.
In Yamakanamaradi village, only six of the 25 gram panchayat voters had cast their votes.
But in Gudas and Kakati villages, no one had turned up till 11 a.m.
Congress leader Siddu Sunagar expects polling to pick up by afternoon. The party had arranged for all members to come together to the booth
The district election helpline officers said they had not received any complaint.
