Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje/Spoorthi Ullal/Justin D'Silva

Mangaluru/Udupi, Apr 26: Braving the scorching sun and the rising temperature, the coastal districts saw a moderate to high voter turnout on the polling day of April 26, which saw 14 LS seats in Karnataka going to polls. Dakshina Kannada recorded a poll percentage of 77.44% while Udupi-Chikkamagaluru saw a voter turnout of 76.06% when reports from Election Commission last came in. The voter turnout was buoyed by the participation of first-time voters and the senior citizens braving the simmering heat to actually walk to the polling booth to cast their votes.

Updates

Final voter turnout - 77.56% voter turnout in Dakshina Kannada (Beltangady 81.30%, Bantwal 81.28%, Puttur 81.10%, Mangaluru 78.36%, Sullia 83.01%, Moodbidiri 76.51%, Mangaluru North 73.78%, and Mangaluru South 67.17%) and 75.80% in Udupi (Karkala 78.50%, Kaup 79.03%, Kundapur 79.10%, Chikkamagaluru 69.00%, Mudigere 75.12%, Sringeri 80.20% and Tarikere 73.20%) at 3 pm

5 pm - 71.83% voter turnout in Dakshina Kannada (Beltangady 75.59%, Bantwal 73.69%, Puttur 75.2%, Mangaluru 73.45%, Sullia 78.35%, Moodbidiri 68.62%, Mangaluru North 69.75%, and Mangaluru South 61.81%) and 72.12% in Udupi (Karkala 73.53%, Kaup 74.50%, Kundapur 74.28%, Chikkamagaluru 66.13%, Mudigere 73.48%, Sringeri 58.64% and Tarikere 69.06%) at 3 pm

4:30 pm - Banjaru Malai, a very remote hamlet in Neriya village of Beltangady taluk recorded 100 percent voting with all 111 voters exercising their franchise. Till the last election the residents were unable to vote due to various adversities including distance from the polling both and commuting inconvenience. This time around a separate polling booth was set up in the hamlet anf the residents took full advantage of it. 

Cent percent voting in Banjaru Malai hamlet of Beltangady taluk

 4:20 pm - Token system has been announced by Election Commission for voters reaching the polling booth 6 PM onwards. 

3.45 pm - 58.76% voter turnout in Dakshina Kannada (Beltangady 61.41%, Bantwal 62.03%, Puttur 62%, Mangaluru 58.72%, Sullia 64.46%, Moodbidiri 54.95%, Mangaluru North 56.81%, and Mangaluru South 51.05%) and 57.49% in Udupi (Karkala 59.48%, Kaup 60.24%, Kundapur 59.44%, Chikkamagaluru 52.37%, Mudigere 57.92%, Sringeri 75.02% and Tarikere 54.07% ) at 3 pm

3.15 pm - Krishna Naik at Manipal Rajiv Nagar polling station was shocked to discover that someone had already voted in his name, causing uproar among polling agents and prompting efforts to identify the individuals responsible for casting fraudulent votes

2.25 pm - A bride and a 109-year-old man cast their votes respectively in Udupi

1.40 pm - 48.1% voter turnout in Dakshina Kannada (Beltangady 50.01%, Bantwal 50.13%, Puttur 51.01%, Mangaluru 47.83%, Sullia 53.31%, Moodbidiri 45.1%, Mangaluru North 46.88%, and Mangaluru South 41.62%) and 46.43% in Udupi (Karkala 48.96%, Kaup, 49.58%, Kundapur 49.14%, Udupi, 47.04%, Chikkamagaluru 40.44%, Mudigere 46.44%, Sringeri 49.49% and Tarikere 41.57%) at 1 pm

12.15 pm - Vakwadi Praveen Shetty, hotel entrepreneur, owner of Fortune Group, casts vote

11.55 am - Sandalwood star Rakshith Shetty casts his vote in Kukkikatte school

11.35 am - 30.96% voter turnout in Dakshina Kannada and 29.03% in Udupi at 11 am - (DK - Beltangady 32.39%, Bantwal 32.28%, Puttur 32.98%, Mangaluru 31.63%, Sullia 34.7%, Moodbidiri 27.46%, Mangaluru North 30.39%, and Mangaluru South 26.54%)

11.20 am - Speaker of Karnataka legislative assembly U T Khader arrived at booth number 103 at Boliyaru government school of Ullal, along with his wife, daughter and cast his vote standing in queue.

10.55 am - NOTA counter set up near polling booth in Beltangady

10.30 am - Congress candidate Padmaraj seeks blessings from former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel. Nalin arrived to the polling booth at St Aloysius school near Ladyhill to cast his vote.

9.55 am - Scorching heat hitting the voters at Mangaluru Car Street government PU college, no shades for the voters as many were seen holding umbrella to avoid heat

9.30 am - MLA Sunil Kumar with his family, votes at the Karkala Polling Station No. 140.

9.25 am -14.33% voter turnout in Dakshina Kannada and 12.82% in Udupi at 9 am

9 am - BJP worker caused disruption at a polling booth and reportedly pushed a police officer

8.40 am - VVPAT machine faces technical glitches at polling station 188 in Udupi women's PU college. Due to the glitches the polling was delayed and began after a half an hour gap.

8.25 am - DK Congress candidate Padmaraj R votes with his family

7.30 - Udupi-Chikkamagaluru BJP candidate Kota Srinivas Poojary casts his vote

7 am - Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Congress candidate Jayaprakash Hegde casts his vote in Korgi school

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru/Udupi

Mangaluru/Udupi, Apr 26: Voting commenced on Friday for the second phase of polling in Karnataka's 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, spanning the state's central and southern regions. Election officials ensured stringent security measures to oversee the electoral process.

In Dakshina Kannada, a significant electoral battleground, a total of 18,18,127 registered voters were observed, constituting 8,87,122 males, 9,30,928 females, and 77 transgender individuals. Among the electoral hotspots, Mangaluru South recorded the highest concentration of voters, tallying up to 2,52,643.

Dakshina Kannada

Udupi

Similarly, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru reported a substantial voter turnout, with 15,85,162 registered voters, comprising 7,68,215 males, 8,16,910 females, and 37 transgender individuals. Notably, Chikkamagaluru stood out as the area with the highest voter concentration, hosting 2,32,210 eligible voters.

The electoral battle in these constituencies primarily revolves around a direct face-off between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The latter, in a strategic move, has formed a pre-poll alliance with the ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), leading to joint candidate nominations as part of their seat-sharing arrangements.

While the prominent candidates in the fray include Capt Brijesh Chowta from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Padmaraj R from the Indian National Congress from Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency, the candidates for Udupi Chikkamagaluru constituency includes Kota Srinivas Poojary from Bharatiya Janata Party and Jayaprakash Hegde from Indian National Congress, both emerging as key contenders in the electoral race.