66.59% turn out in K'taka bypolls

Bengaluru: The crucial by-election to 15 Karnataka Assembly constituencies that would have a bearing on the stability of the B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government saw an estimated 66.49 per cent voter turnout on Thursday and was by and large peaceful.

The BJP needs to win at least six of the seats to remain in majority in the 225-member Assembly (including the Speaker, who has a casting vote), which would still have two vacant seats — Maski and R R Nagar.

After a slow pace in the first half of the day since polling began at 7 am with only 33 per cent till 1.30 pm, voting picked up later in the day though it was below the percentage recorded in the Assembly elections in 2018. The four constituencies in the city clocked poor voter turnouts. Officials said an estimated 66.49 per cent of the 37.78 lakh eligible electors cast their votes in the 15 segments till 6 pm.

The figure was likely to go up as at some places people standing in queues at close were allowed to vote. According to the figures available, the highest turnout of 90.44 per cent was recorded in Hosakote while the lowest of 43.25 per cent at K R Pura here.