Karnataka bypolls: 6.33 % voter turnout

Bengaluru, Dec 5 (IANS) A voter turnout of 6.33 per cent was recorded till 9 a.m. in the 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka in the first round of polling, the Election Commission said on Thursday. Constituency-wise voting percentage at 9 a.m. was 8.33 in Athani, 6.94 in Kagwad, 6.11 in Gokak, 7.54 in Yellapur and 5.59 in Hirekeru. In Ranibennur, the voting percentage was 6.22, 6.5 per cent in Vijayanagara, 6.91 per cent in Chikkaballapur, 6.15 per cent in K. R. Pura, 4.19 per cent in Yeshwantpura, 8.21 per cent in Mahalakshmi Layout and 3.04 per cent in Shivajinagar. In Hosakote, 9.01 per cent voting was recorded, 6.2 per cent in Krishnarajapete and 6.18 per cent in Husunuru, the election commission said. The second round of polling has been scheduled at 11 a.m., followed by round 3 at 1 p.m., round 4 at 3 p.m. and round 5 at 5 p.m. On Thursday, the bye-elections was being held in Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapura, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijaynagara, Chickballapura, K. R. Pura, Yeshwanthpura, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagara, Hosakote, K. R. Pete and Hunsur. For the 15 Assembly bye-elections, 165 candidates, including 126 Independents and 9 women, are in the fray. The counting will take places on December 9.
--IANS sth/dpb