Bengaluru Election 2024 Highlights: Karnataka records voter turnout of 63.90% by 5.30 pm

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya was booked by the Election Commission for seeking votes on religious grounds while Model Code of Conduct is on place. 

In an X post on Friday, Surya wrote, “Our generation was blessed to witness the majestic Surya Tilak on Bhagwan Shri Ram at Ayodhya on Ram Navami. A wait for almost 500 years & a wish of crores of Bharatiyas was fulfilled by PM Shri @narendramodi Ji. For Bharatiyata to survive, vote for BJP.” 

In Karnataka, the voting percentage crossed 60% by 5.30 pm, announced Election Commission. At 5.30 pm, the voting percentage stood at 63.90% . The polling percentage remains low in all four Bengaluru Lok Sabha seats whereas Bengaluru South and Bengaluru Central constituencies did not touch halfway mark by 5.30 pm.

After Tejasvi Surya has been booked by the election commission for allegedly influencing voters on religious grounds, his rival and Congress' candidate Sowmya Reddy urged EC to disqualify the MP. She also predicted that Surya is losing the election in Bengaluru South. 

In an X post, Sowmya Reddy wrote, “Kindly disqualify @Tejasvi_Surya & he has been booked for soliciting votes which is a code violation @ceo_karnataka @ECISVEEP Clearly he knows he is losing.”

A case has been filed on Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya for sharing a video on social media and allegedly influencing votes in the ground of religion. In an X post, the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka wrote, “Case is booked against Tejasvi Surya MP and Candidate of Bengaluru South PC on 25.04.24 at Jayanagar PS u/s 123(3) for posting a video in X handle and soliciting votes on the ground of religion.” 

Former Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath cast his vote at the polling booth in Mysuru in the ongoing Lok Sabha Polls on Friday. In a video posted by ANI, Srinath was seen showing off his inked finger after exercising his voting rights.

In Karnataka, the voting percentage crossed halfway mark by 3.30 pm, announced Election Commission. At 3.30 pm, the voting percentage stood at 50.93% and almost half of Karnataka is yet to vote. The polling percentage remains low in all four Bengaluru Lok Sabha seats as none of the constituencies touched halfway mark by 3.30 pm. 

JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday alleged that cash and gift vouchers were distributed in Bengaluru Rural constituency, especially in Kanakapura Taluk. D K Suresh, brother of Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar, is seeking re-election from the seat for the fourth time.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya asked the supporters of BJP to step out and vote on the polling day. The young MP claimed that there are 80% of BJP voters but only 20% of them step out to give their vote. 

Tejasvi said, "I want to tell the BJP supporters and voters that we are 80%, but on the polling day we come out and vote 20%, whereas the Congress supporters are 20% and they come out and vote 80%. Each BJP voter must come out and vote because our vote matters. If you are not voting, Congress' 20% is coming out and voting. No matter the heat, or the rain, it is your vote which will decide the future of the nation for the next five years. Please come out and vote."

Actor Darshan casted his vote at a polling booth in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru today. 

Eight senior women officers in Chamarajanagar wore specially-designed silk sarees sporting a message that sought to encourage voter participation. The sarees sported a message "Chunavana Parva-Deshada Garva" (festival of election is the country's pride). 

"The hand-woven silk sarees are to promote traditional weavers and weaving industry that Chamarajanagar is known for, and also to create awareness about voting," An officer said. 

(PTI)

The overall voter turnout in the state was at 38.23 per cent at 1:30 pm today.

Actor Yash casted his vote at a polling booth in Hoskerehalli, Bengaluru on Friday.

"The government should do what it is supposed to do and it should let people do what they are doing. I think interference should be less. Empowerment should be done, there are so many things, that I expect as a citizen," he said. 

(PTI)

Fast food chain McDonalds offered free coke for voters in Bengaluru.

“Namma Bengaluru! We’re proud of you, for stepping out and exercising your right to vote. We have a little treat for you waiting at a McDonald’s store near you. All you have to do is show your inked finger,” the franchise said in a statement.

Actor Yash casted his vote at a polling booth in Hoskerehalli, Bengaluru on Friday.

As Bengaluru's Nisaranga Grand is offering free Dosas for those who cast their vote on the polling day, the eatery is thronged with huge crowds on Friday morning. The restaurant has been doing this since the 2018 assembly elections to encourage voters to step out and give their vote. Read full story

Actor Rakshit Shetty casted his vote at a polling booth in Udupi, Karnataka on Friday. 

“Every time there is an election, we go back and see what happened in the last five years and what are we expecting for the next five years. Based on that we select the best leader who can lead us to the dream we have for our country and where we live,” the actor said.

An estimated 22.34 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 am during the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies in Karnataka on Friday. 

Out of 14 segments that are going to polls today, highest turnout of 30.98 per cent was recorded in Dakshina Kannada, followed by Udupi-Chikmagalur 29.03 per cent, and the least 19.21 per cent in Bangalore Central.

(PTI)

Actor Rakshit Shetty casted his vote at a polling booth in Udupi, Karnataka on Friday. (PTI)

Several differently-abled voters made it to their respective polling booths on Friday, successfully exercising their democratic right and casting their votes in the ongoing Lok Sabha election 2024.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka took to social media and wrote, “Equality is the basic tenet of our democracy. Accordingly, various arrangements have been made for the differently-abled voters in various polling booths of Bangalore North Constituency to enable them to cast their vote." 

Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder of Infosys, also casted his vote on Friday as part of the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections. 

Taking to social media site X, he wrote a simple, “Voted today” and shared a photo of his inked index finger.

Biocon executive chairperson and founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw on Friday took to social media to flaunt her inked finger. 

“As a responsible citizen of our great country, I have cast my vote. Jai hind,” she wrote in a post.

A 100-year-old woman casted her vote at a polling booth in Bengaluru, Karnataka on Friday. The woman was seen arriving in a wheelchair in a video shared by news agency PTI.

Former PM and JD(S) president HD Deve Gowda spoke to reporters on Friday after casting his vote and said, "Congress has stooped to this level, having the photo of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge making promise. This is with the photo of Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. Is Rahul Gandhi Prime Minister? Is Kharge Chief Minister or Prime Minister? They are only ordinary members of Congress. This is a pamphlet distributed in Karnataka just to mislead and fool the people."

(ANI)

A case was registered against BJP candidate K Sudhakar for alleged bribery and undue influence on electorate and cash amounting to ₹4.8 crores was also seized, the Election Commission said on Friday. 

Action was taken by the Flying Squads Team (FST) of Chikkaballapura, they said. Taking to 'X', Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer on Friday said the FST of Chikkaballapura seized cash to the tune of ₹4.8 crores.

(PTI)

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on Friday took a dig at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying he has been speaking against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he is "frustrated." 

“The whole nation is standing with Narendra Modi, it's only Siddaramaiah who is speaking against Modi, because today is a day to celebrate democracy. It's a festival of democracy. This election will decide who will be our next prime minister. If you want Modi as the Prime Minister then you should visit the polling booths,” she said.

(PTI)