Karnataka Assembly Election 2018 LIVE Updates: Few Hours Left of Polling, All Eyes on Exit Polls as Voter Turnout Reaches 64%

EVM PROBLEMS | 164 polling units, 157 control units and 470 VVPATs have malfunctioned so far during the elections on Saturday. Officials managed to replace these units. There will be repolling in Lottegollahalli booth 2 in Hebbal constituency where an EVM was stuck against a particular candidate’s name. It was noticed in the first half of the day itself, which resulted in many voters not casting their votes here.

Most opinion polls have predicted a fractured verdict for this three-cornered contest between the ruling Congress, BJP and JD(S). The results will be out on May 15.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today urged the people of Karnataka to participate in the "festival of democracy" by voting in large numbers. Gandhi also welcomed first-time voters to take part in the electoral process. "Voter exercising his right without fail is the sign of functional democracy. I welcome all my young friends who are casting their vote for first time in Karnataka," Gandhi said in a tweet in Kannada. "I request people of Karnataka to celebrate this biggest festival of democracy in large numbers with fervour, and make it successful," he said. The Congress chief had extensively campaigned across the state with an aim to bring the party back to power in Karnataka, which is the only large state ruled by it after Punjab.

An elderly woman being taken to cast her vote during polling day for the Karnataka Assembly election 2018 in Bengaluru on Saturday. (PTI Photo)

ALLEGATION OF EVM MANIPULATION | Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa alleges EVM manipulation, tweets, "There are 5 booths opposite my Parent's apartment at RMV II Stage, Bengaluru. In the 2nd booth, any button pressed registers a vote ONLY to kiwi mele Kamala i.e Kamal ke phool. Angry voters are returning without casting their vote."

111-YEAR-OLD SEER CASTS VOTE | Age did not deter the highly revered Shivakumar Mahaswamiji, senior seer of the Siddaganga Math at Tumakuru, who is said to be 111-years-old, from exercising his franchise in the Karnataka Assembly elections. The seer came by car to the polling booth inside the Math, slowly walked inside andcast his vote. The seniormost pontiff of the powerful and politically influential Lingayats, the majority community, has reportedly never given a miss to voting in the elections held in India since its Independence. The seer, who runs a string of educational institutions from engineering to business schools and colleges is considered a "walking god" for his service to society. Similarly, the Suttur Math seer Shivaratri Deshikendra Swamiji in Mysuru and the Dharmadhikari of Manjunath Swamytemple at Dharmasthala Dr Veerendra Heggade too cast their votes. 

The India Today opinion polls had predicted that the BJP’s vote share is likely to go up, but not enough to dislodge the current Congress government. According to the India Today Group's Karvy Insights opinion poll, the Congress would retain its vote share with 90-101 seats. Meanwhile, the BJP's seat share, although showing an improvement, stayed at 78-86. It also poll predicted that JD(S) would secure 34-43 seats.

OPINION POLLS | Days ahead of the elections, an opinion poll conducted by ABP has projected ruling Congress to emerge as the single largest party in a hung Assembly. The opinion poll said that Congress would get a 38% vote share, followed by BJP at 33% and Janata Dal (Secular) at 22%. But none of the parties would get the magic figure of 112, and hence, fall short of forming a government in the state on their own. 

Two chief ministerial aspirants, BJP's B S Yeddyurappa and H D Kumaraswamy of JDS, today sought divine blessings as the polling process for the Karnataka Assembly elections was set in motion. The two leaders offered special prayers at temples for their success in the election, in which BJP is hoping to regain power and JDS is eyeing to be the "king", not just a "kingmaker." Before leaving to exercise his franchise, Yeddyurappa with his party workers went to offer prayers at the 'Sankata Vimochana Anjaneya' at Shikaripura in his constituency. Former chief minister and number two in the JD (S) hierarchy, H D Kumaraswamy too sought the blessings of his family deity Bhairaveshwara at Adi Chunchanagiri Math at Vijayanagar in Bengaluru.

BJP chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa casts his vote. (Image: News18)

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala says, "Congress will get 130 plus seats, and the corrupt and criminal Yeddy-Reddy gang will be rejected by the people of Karnataka."

With less than 40% vote count in the poll bound state till 1 pm and media reports earlier painting a sad picture for India's Silicon Valley voters, cyber cafes and food joints in Bengaluru are offering attractive discounts to people who exercise their franchise.

THE MANY FIRSTS | From all-women managed 'Pink Booths' to the use of third generation Electronic Voting Machines, the assembly elections in Karnataka are marked by several firsts. The country's IT hub saw electoral authorities initiate a slew of initiatives targeting a voting percentage of 75. As the outcry about the alleged vulnerability of the EVMs to tampering grew louder, the Election Commission has come up with the 'M3 EVMs' that are tamper proof and stops when attempts are made to meddle with it. On a pilot basis, the Election commission chose five assembly constituencies in Bengaluru-- Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Shivajinagar, Shanthinagar, Gandhi Nagar and Rajaji Nagar in Bengaluru. In a women-oriented step, 450 "pink booths" called 'Sakhi' have been set up. Sending a message of women empowerment, they are entirely managed by women, right from the returning officer to the security personnel, the sources said. Adding a riot of colours, the EC has set up ethnic polling booths in Mysuru, Chamarajnagar and Uttar Kannada districts where polling booths match the lifestyle of tribal masses living there.

EXIT POLLS | All eyes are now on the exit polls that are likely to indicate how the election results would turn out. While most opinion polls, days ahead of the the elections, had mostly predicted a hung assembly in Karnataka, they have also declared JD(S) to be the kingmaker in this crucial election. Though all the three major players have claimed that they are going to win the elections and form the next Karnataka government on their own, the exit polls could give a glimpse into what's waiting on May 15, the result day.

Voting will continue till 6pm on Friday owing to the heat and introduction of VVPAT machines. Temperatures are soaring over 40 degrees in several parts of Karnataka.

Officials said 58,008 polling stations have been set up across the state, of which 12002 have been designated as "critical", with over 3,50,000 polling personnel on duty.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and son Yathindra after casting their votes on Saturday. (Image: News18)

Even till 3pm, Dakshina Kannada remains on top as far as voting percentage is concerned. The region has recorded 47% votes till now. The break up of other regions are as follows:

1. Yalahanka 34.34%

2) Byatarayanapura 32.65%

3) yashavantapura 29%

4) Dasarahalli 21.90%

5) Mahadevpura 30%

6) BNG south 32.52%

7) Anekal 30%

Average 30.04%

Expanding the option of freebies for the voters, the Karnataka Associated Management of English-medium Schools (KAMS), which has got more than 3,000 member schools in the state, has decided to award extra marks to students whose parents have voted. According to reports, a student can gain a maximum of 4 marks, as each vote will get them 2 marks, for the academic year 2018-19. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today asserted that the Congress would come back to power with a clear majority and dubbed his political  rival, BJP's B S Yeddyurappa as "mentally disturbed" on his claim that he would form the next government in the state. He also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, charging that income tax raids were ordered against Congress workers and well-wishers out of  desperation because the saffron party was sure of losing the election. The issue would be raised with the Election Commission after the polls and in Parliament, he said. Sounding confident about Congress victory, Siddaramaiah dubbed Yeddyurappa "mentally disturbed" for his claim that he would take oath as the chief minister on May 17. "Congress will get the clear majority. There is no confusion about this. We are very confident that Congress will come back to power with clear majority. He (Yeddyurappa) is mentally disturbed. BJP can't get more than 60-65 seats," Siddaramaiah said.

Karnataka has registered 56% voter turnout till 3pm with Dakshi Kannada recording the highest turnout of 47%. Over 2,600 candidates are in the fray — more than 2400 men and and over 200 women. The total voters including service electors according to the 2018 final rolls are 5,06,90,538, of whom 2,56,75,579 are male voters, 2,50,09,904 are female and 5,055 transgender voters.