Karnataka
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Karnataka registers Record Polling Turnout of 67.28 %
- Fri, Apr 18 2014 11:08:30 PM
From Our Special Correspondent
Bangalore, Apr 18: Karnataka almost reached the Election Commission of India’s target of achieving 70 per cent polling in the just concluded Lok Sabha general elections registering a record turnout of 67.28 per cent.
The total polling percentage in the State for the 16th Lok Sabha elections is even higher than the previous highest of 65.14 per cent during the 2004 lok sabha polls.
Addressing reporters on Friday, State Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha said the polling turnout for the general elections held on Thursday is the third highest in Karnataka since 1951, when the general elections were held for the first time.
The State had recorded the highest percentage of polling in 1999 (67.58) and 67.53 per cent in 1989.
A total of 434 candidates are in the fray in 28 constituencies and the counting of votes is scheduled on May 16.
Coastal Dakshina Kannada recorded the highest polling of 77.18 per cent, Bangalore south constituency was the lowest at 55.69 per cent.
In all, 13 of the 28 constituencies recorded more than 70 per cent polling.
The percentage of polling in the other constituencies:
Chikkodi – 74.58, Belgaum – 68.43, Bagalkot – 68.88, Bijapur (SC) – 59.71, Gulbarga – 57.90, Raichur (ST)- 58.27, Bidar – 60.15, Koppal- 65.59, Bellary (ST)- 70.28, Haveri – 71.60, Dharwad – 65.95, Uttara Kannada – 69.20, Davanagere – 73.20, Shimoga – 72.31, Udupi-Chikmagalur – 74.46, Hassan – 73.50, Chitradurga (SC) – 66.07, Tumkur – 72.50, Mandya – 71.42, Mysore – 66.53, Chamarajanagar (SC) – 72.81, Bangalore Rural – 68.80, Bangalore North – 56.47, Bangalore Central – 55.70, Chickballapur – 76.06 and Kolar (SC) – 75.50
The polling was impressive in all 28 constituencies as compared to the voting percentage of 58.81 in 2009 elections, Jha said.
All the three City constituencies of Bangalore - Bangalore South, Central and North – have also recorded good turnout.
``I am very happy about the polling percentage in the entire State,” Jha said.
Karnataka’s total polling percentage would have gone up still higher if the electorate in the Bangalore constituencies had taken the trouble to exercise their franchise.
In Bangalore, EVMs of three Lok Sabha constituencies have been kept at Home Science College, Government Ramanarayan Chellaram College of Commerce and Management and SSMRV College, Jayanagar.