Voter turnout 70 percent, figures likely to increase: EC

The Election Commission on Saturday noted that so far, the voter turnout is 70 percent, compared to 71.4 percent in 2013 elections in Karnataka. Voting for 222 of the 224 assembly seats in Karnataka was held on Saturday. Election Commission held a press conference in Bengaluru after the voting concluded.

Sanjeev Kumar, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer, said, "Re-polling to take place in Hebbal assembly constituency's Polling Station Number 2 on May 14 after polling was stopped there due to EVM failure."

Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha, said, "The EC stated that except for few polling stations, where people are still standing in the line and voting, polling has been completed in almost all polling stations."

Director General Dilip Sharma said, "Total cumulative gross seizure of cash Rs 94 Crore, liquor worth Rs 24.78 Crore, various inducements like sarees, vehicles, dhotis, utensils, electronic gadgets worth Rs 66 Crores till today. This is more than 8 times the seizures made in last assembly election."

The election in two constituencies, Jayanagar and Rajarajeshwari Nagar, both in Bengaluru was postponed earlier. In Jayanagar, the polling was also deferred due to the death of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate, B N Vijay Kumar, on May 4.