Urban areas across Karnataka voted in civic body polls on Thursday, laying down a potential indicator for the assembly elections due by May.

"This is the first time in nearly two decades that local body elections have been held less than two months before the assembly polls. The verdict will be interesting," said political analyst A Narayana, an associate professor of law and governance at Azim Premji University.

Though the state election commission did not immediately give an official turnout figure, most parties estimated more than 60% of 8.5 million voters across seven city corporations and 201 city municipal councils, town municipal councils and town panchayats exercised their franchise.

Apart from the ruling BJP, opposition Congress and the JD(S), the results - to be announced on March 11 - will be crucial for former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janata Party and B Sriramulu's Badava Shramika Raitha Congress.