Polling was held for 374 ZP seats and 1,335 TP seats in these districts. Bangalore Urban recorded the lowest voter turnout, while the highest polling was in the neighbouring Bangalore Rural district. State Election Commission (SEC) has ordered re-polling in three places - two polling booths in Chikkaballapur and one in Bellary - based on the preliminary reports, SEC Secretary S K Ravindranath said.
For the first time,electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used, besides reserving 50 of the seats for women.
Voting began on a low-key as people were reluctant to venture out on a chilly morning.
Bidar
Four persons sustained injuries in the clashes between political workers in the district. Stone throwing ensued between Congress and BJP workers in Kerur village of Bhalki taluk. People of Enkauru boycotted the election demanding that their village be made the panchayat headquarters. The residents of SC colony in Halabarga, who had decided to boycott the polls relented after the intervention of the legislator Eshwar Khandre.
Bellary
Polling was countermanded at eight booths due to interchange of party symbols at Sandur, Bellary district. Fresh voting is scheduled for December 31. The JD(S) candidate bore the symbol of BSP, and following an objection by the former, the polling was postponed. Barring a minor clash between the BJP and Congress workers in Kampli, the polling was peaceful in the mining district.
Chitradurga
Four persons sustained injuries in the clashes between political workers during the panchayat polls in the district.
Two Congress workers were injured in Hulikunte of Challakere taluk while two others were injured in Kurumaradikere of Chitradurga taluk.
The husband of a TP candidate was taken into custody allegedly while luring voters with money. Voters’ reluctance to venture out in the cold led to poor turnout in the district.
Majority of the polling booths were found deserted till noon. The people of Kodihalli in Hosadurga taluk boycotted the poll to protest against poor infrastructure in their village. Defective EVMs resulted in delayed polling at a few booths across the district.
Kolar
Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Meena himself swung into action by wielding a lathi as a group attempted to assault a poll official in Chatrakodihalli of the taluk. Vehicles were seen ferrying voters to polling stations while candidates solicited votes at polling booths in few villages.
Raichur
Police arrested a First Division Clerk of Health Department on the charge of distributing money to favour a Congress candidate in Dinni village. A sum of Rs 32,700 was seized from him.
Shimoga
The polling for 31 zilla panchayat and 109 taluk panchayat constituencies was uneventful in the district. The polling began on a low-key in the initial hours but picked up momentum as the day progressed.
The residents of Manchi in Sorab taluk and Changaru in Tirthahalli boycotted the polls as a mark of their protest against poor infrastructure in their villages. The two villages comprise about 750 voters.
Voting began an hour late at a few polling booths in Sagar, Sorab, Bhadravathi and Tirthahalli taluks due to a technical glitch in electronic voting machines.
The district administration had beefed up security in naxal-infested areas of the Malnad district.
Tumkur
Fresh polling will be held at Asalipura booth in the taluk as the voting was delayed and attempts were made to damage the EVMs. The polling is scheduled for Dec 31, according to Deputy Commissioner.
The second phase of polling, covering 17 districts, has been scheduled on December 31. Polling in Gulbarga will be held on January 1, 2011. Counting of votes will be taken up on January 4.
Bangalore urban 48.4 pc
Bangalore rural 71 pc
Ramanagara 70 pc
Kolar 68 pc
Chikkaballapur 70 pc
Tumkur 65 pc
Chitradurga 65 pc
Shimoga 60 pc
Bellary 70 pc
Raichur 54.4 pc
Yadgir 58 pc
Bidar 60 pc
(Note: Polling percentages are approximate figures by SEC)