Karnataka: 66.25% polling recorded till 6 pm in 15 assembly by-polls

An overall of 66.25 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 6 pm in the bye-elections to 15 assembly constituencies in Karnataka.

Voting for 15 assembly constituencies of Karnataka began on Thursday morning at 7 am.

The polls on these seats were necessitated following the disqualification of 17 MLAs who had resigned from the assembly in July over their differences with the Congress-JD(S) coalition government.

The elections for 15 out of 17 seats were held today since the poll body had withheld the elections for two seats -- Maski and Rajarajeshwari -- as the petitions against these Assembly constituencies are pending in the Karnataka High Court.

In the run-up to polls, section144, which prohibits an assembly of more than four people in an area was imposed in the by-election constituencies which come under the jurisdiction of Bengaluru Comissionerate, including Mahalakshmi Layout, KR Puram, Shivaji Nagar and Yeshwantpura.

Other constituencies that went for by-polls today include Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapura, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijayanagar, Chickballapura, Hosakote, KR Pete and Hunsur.