Polling picks up post-noon to 38.4% in Karnataka

Unfazed by the summer heat and dust, voters turned out in large numbers post-noon to register 38.4 per cent average polling till 3:00 p.m. in Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, an official said on Thursday.

"We have seen a surge in polling after 1-2 p.m. in most of the seats, leading to a record 50.62 per cent voting in Dakshina Kannada, followed by 49.12 per cent in Hassan and 47.04 per cent in Udupi-Chikmagalur in 8 hours since 7:00 a.m.," a poll official told IANS.

Even in India's tech hub, where polling started on a dull note earlier in the day picked up later to catch up with voting trends in coastal and central areas of the southern state.

As a result, Bangalore North recorded 31.98 per cent, followed by Bangalore South 31.66 per cent and Bangalore Central 28.65 per cent, while Bangalore Rural notched up 33.83 per cent till 3:00 p.m.

In the hotbed of old Mysuru region, polling increased steadily to post 39.79 per cent in Mandya, 38.30 per cent in Chamarajanagar and 35.69 per cent in Mysore.

Polling percentage in other seats were 44.40 in Tumkur, Kolar 38.92 and Chikkaballapur 37.59.

--IANS

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