K'taka polls: Campaigning for phase-III ends

Bangalore, May 20: Campaigning for the third and last phase of Karnataka Assembly polls comes to an end this evening. Several political leaders are addressing public meetings today.

A total of 69 Assembly constituencies in eight districts of North Karnataka, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Bidar, Gulbaga, Bijapur, Bagalakot and Belgaum will face the ballot in the third phase. Sixty per cent polling was reported May 16 in the second phase of Assembly elections. Voters from ten districts of Raichur, Koppal, Uttara Kannada, Bellary, Chitradurga Davanagere, Shimoga, Udupi, Chikmagalur and Dakshina Kannada participated in the election. A 66 per cent voter turnout was registered in 89 of the total 224 assembly seats in the first phase of elections on May 10. Counting of votes will take place on May 25. The assembly elections in Karnataka are crucial in wake of parliamentary elections in 2009.

ANI