Karnataka Assembly elections: Instances of ‘cash for votes’ reported from many constituencies

Voting is under way in 222 of the 224 constituencies across the State. Along with reports of brisk polling in many polling stations, there are also reports of voters being enticed with cash.

On Saturday morning, the Kolar Rural police arrested four persons on charges of enticing voters. They were reportedly distributing nose rings to women voters. The police are said to be interrogating the accused.

At a polling station at Masti in Malur constituency, a man was seen distributing money to voters, who were coming out of the polling booth. The polling officials and police are yet to ascertain the identity of the person and whom he was distributing the cash for.

In many cases, no formal complaint has been filed.

At many places, party workers were covertly distributing money to the voters. One such instance was noticed at Ramagondanahalli polling booth. Party workers tried to snatch The Hindu reporter's mobile phone when they realised they were caught on camera.

At Shivajinagar, ₹500 was being distributed to voters after they cast their votes at the government school on Plain Street.

Elsewhere in the state, Akram Hassan from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) claimed that over the past two days, money was being distributed on behalf of a candidate representing a "national party" to voters in Narasimharaja constituency in Mysuru.

The Janata Dal (S) has lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission about money being distributed to voters in Chamundeshwari constituency from where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is contesting. The complaint was filed by JD(S) spokesperson and MLC Ramesh Babu.