N-K voters brave scorching heat to come, vote

The voting for 14 Lok Sabha seats in northern parts of the state in the second phase of general elections in Karnataka passed off peacefully on Tuesday.

Given the scorching sun, people preferred to cast their votes in the early hours and as such voting began on a brisk pace in most parts of north Karnataka districts.

A large number of people were seen waiting in queue for their turn to exercise franchise at booths in Ballari district. The voting percentage went up as the sun rose.

Voting began at 7 am in 1,925 poll booths in the district. However, the process was delayed at some booths as EVMs were dysfunctional.

People began to arrive at polling booths in Gadag by 10 am while the turnout was more in the noon in rural areas. People did not mind scorching sun and sweltering heat in order to cast their votes. Voting was delayed a bit in some booths of Ron, Gajendragad, Lakkundi, Dambala, Naregal and other places due to technical issues with EVMs.

The voter response was not enthusiastic in the early hours in Bagalkot districts. Considerable people were seen at the booths only by 11 am. However, there was not much turnout between 1 pm and 4 pm as people did not venture out due to intense heat. The district had recorded 51.14% turnout at 3 pm.

People displaced by Krishna project had to walk for 2-3 km in the scroching sun to cast votes.

There was enthusiastic response from voters in Sirsi of Uttara Kannada district. A large number of voters were seen at the polling booths by 7 am itself. By 1 am, Sirsi-Siddapur Assembly constituency had recorded a turnout of 47.35%. However, skies opened up by 2.30 pm hampering voting. However, it was a reverse case in Ankola. Voting began at a slow pace in the morning and by the time it picked up speed, rains threw a spanner in the works.

As much as 89% of persons with disability exercised their franchise in Uttara Kannada district. Out of the 13,457 disabled persons, 11,798 cast their vote on Tuesay. Ramps were provided at all the booths and two disabled-friendly booths were set up in Ankola and Yallapur.

Polling was peaceful in Belagavi and Chikkodi LS constituencies.

Barring incidents of poll boycott threats, technical snag in electronic voting machines and protests, polling for election to Shimoga Lok Sabha constituency passed off peacefully.

Since morning, voters turned up in good numbers to exercise their franchise in their respective polling booths across the district. The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 82.55% as at 6 pm.