Karnataka bypolls: 17.60 % voter turnout (3rd Ld, 11 a.m.)

Bengaluru, Dec 5 (IANS) A voter turnout of 17.60 per cent was recorded till 11 a.m. in the 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka in the second round of polling, the Election Commission said on Thursday. Constituency-wise voting percentage at 11 a.m. was 23.10 in Athani, 21.34 in Kagwad, 20.45 in Gokak, 23.87 in Yellapur and 20.03 in Hirekeru. In Ranibennur, the voting percentage was 19.08, 20.03 per cent in Vijayanagara, 20.78 per cent in Chikkaballapur, 10.97 per cent in K. R. Pura, 13.13 per cent in Yeshwantpura, 15.71 per cent in Mahalakshmi Layout and 9.20 per cent in Shivajinagar. In Hosakote, 22.39 per cent voting was recorded, 20.1 per cent in Krishnarajapete and 19.12 per cent in Husunuru, the Election Commission said. The third round of polling has been scheduled at 1 p.m., followed by round 4 at 3 p.m. and round 5 at 5 p.m. First and second rounds of polling were held at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., the Election Commission said. On Thursday, the bye-elections was being held in Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapura, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, ijaynagara, 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