68.62 % polling recorded in 2 phases in KTAKA, turnout higher

A 68.62 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the elections for 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka which went for polling in two phases, a tad higher thanthe 2014 figures, poll officials said Wednesday.

Voter turnout was 67.20 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

While 14 constituencies in the southern belt which went to polls in the first phase on April 18 recorded 68.80 per cent polling, the remaining 14 constituencies in thenorthern districts where elections were held in the second phase on Tuesday saw a 68.43 per cent turnout.

According to data released by poll officials, the highest voter turnout combining both the phases was in Mandya with 80.23 per cent, while the least was in Bangalore South with 53.47 per cent.

Both Mandya and Bangalore South are high profile constituencies which went to polls in the first phase.

In Mandya, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil is pitted against actress Sumalatha Ambareesh in what is perceived to be a cliffhanger contest.

In Bangalore South, the contest is between 28-year-old Tejasvi Surya, a new face from the BJP and senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad.

Of the total electors of 5,10,55,172 in the state, 3,50,31,495 voters have exercised franchise in twophases.

There were 478 candidates in the fray from two phases--451 men and 27 women.

The BJP had contested in 27 out of total 28 seats in theState, and supported independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh in Mandya.

The Congress and JD(S), which fought the polls in alliance, had contested in 21 and 7 seven seats respectively.

During 2014 Lok Sabha polls, of the 28 constituencies that went to the polls, BJPhad won in 17, Congress in 9 and JD(S) in two seats.

However, during the bypoll in November last year BJP had lost Bellary seat to Congress.