‘Festival of democracy’ ends in Udupi- Chikkamagaluru with 76.06 percent turnout
Udupi: Voters in Udupi – Chikkamagaluru braved the heat to head out to polling stations in the “festival of democracy” on Friday, with a 76.06 percent turnout recorded for the state’s 12 Lok Sabha seats till the closing of polls.
According to tentative figures provided by Returning Officer Dr K Vidya Kumari, the polling was peaceful, and no untoward incidents were reported anywhere in the Udupi-Chikmamgaluru constituency.
As per the report, constituency-wise turnout is, Karkala 78.50%, Kaup 79.30%, Kundapur 79.10%, Udupi 75.80, Chikkamagaluru 69.00%, Mudigere 75.12%, Sringeri 80.20%, Tarikere 73.20% recorded.
Many voters were waiting in the queue at several polling booths. All voters who arrived at the booths by 6 p.m. were given a separate slip and will be allowed to cast their votes, irrespective of when they would be able to press the button on the EVMs.
The day-long poll process started on a high with voters queuing up even before polls opened at 7 a.m., and despite the scorching heat during the daytime, voters, including several elderly people, stood for long hours to cast their votes.
In the afternoon session, the turnout slightly dipped. Still, in the late evening, it picked up again and reports from election officials indicate that voting may extend till late evening, and it will only be after that the final tally will be known.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) had malfunctioned in some places in the constituency, and they were immediately replaced, she said.
The turnout in the Maoist-affected villages such as Sitanadi, Nadpal, Someshwara, Nadambur, Shedimane, and Machattu was even more brisk.
