50 polling reported in Phase I elections till 1600 hrs

Bangalore, May 10 (UNI) An estimated 50 per cent polling was reported till 1600 hrs, one hour before the closure, in the first phase of polling for 89 Assembly seats in 11 districts of Karnataka today.

The polling remained by and large peaceful throughout the districts barring minor scuffle between rival party workers in Arasikere in Hassan district and in the city, DGP R Sri Kumar told UNI.

The polling, which began on a sedate note in the morning, picked up momentum and brisk voting was reported through the afternoon with long queues seen in most booths across the South Karnataka districts.

However it remained low in Bangalore city (42 per cent) and Bangalore urban district (44.4). Bangalore rural and Hassan reported the highest polling at 60 per cent each, a top official Election Commission officer said.

Protests was witnessed in many areas by people who could not find their names in the voter list despite having Voter ID were reported at several places.

Karnataka is the first state in the country to go to polls after latest delimitation process was undertaken. Nearly 1.73 crore voters, including 84 lakh woman would be deciding the fate of 953 candidates in this phase.

In some booths in the city, Tumkur, Mysore and Hassan, the polling was stopped for some time due to technical snag in the EVMs.

However, it was rectified immediately by changing the EVMs.

In RT Nagar in the city, 30 persons from Andhra Pradesh, who were allegedly brought for bogus voting, were arrested by the police.

UNI TEAM RS-MSP TS1727