1. Lok Sabha elections 2024 Phase 2 | Voter turnout at 63.90% in Karnataka at 5 p.m.
Karnataka recorded 63.90% voter turnout at 5 p.m. on Phase II of polling for Lok Sabha elections, according to Election Commission of India. As the State began polling in 14 constituencies on April 26, most polling booths in Bengaluru witnessed long queues from 6.30 a.m. While the early hours of the morning saw strong voter turnout, the rising summer temperature kept most voters away as noon approached.
Many first-time voters, senior citizens and people with disabilities turned up in large numbers across the State to exercise their franchise. From Rahul Dravid to Yash to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, cricketers, actors and businesspersons, made a beeline to the voting centres and also uploaded the images of their inked fingers on social media, encouraging millions of their followers to follow suit.
Like 2023 Assembly elections, complaints of names missing from voters’ lists surfaced again. In Bengaluru Central constituency, in a polling booth in Indiranagar, a woman was seen making frantic calls and approaching the polling officials in a huff after she being informed that her mother’s name is not in the rolls. Many voters in Chickpet and Akkipet alleged that hundreds of names had been deleted from the list of voters.
Read all the live updates and our exclusive coverage of the polling day here.
2. Cases booked against BJP leaders K. Sudhakar, Tejasvi Surya, C.T. Ravi
A flying squad of election officials seized cash amounting to ₹4.8 crore from a house in Yelahanka, coming under Chickaballapur constituency, on April 25. The officials booked a case against BJP candidate K. Sudhakar at Madanayakahalli police station under relevant sections of the Representation of People Act and that of the IPC for bribery and undue influence on electors.
The EC also booked a case against BJP MP and Bengaluru South candidate Tejasvi Surya under Section 123(3) for posting a video on his X handle, soliciting votes on the ground of religion. Mr. Surya, who is known for his controversial statements, is heard saying, “We the BJP voters are 80%, but we come out and vote only 20%. The Congress voters are 20%, but they come out and vote 80%. This is the ground reality. My request to you all BJP voters is, every single vote of yours matters. Please come out and vote. Because if you are not voting, the Congress’ 20% is definitely voting.”
Chikkamagaluru election officials have also booked an FIR against BJP leader C.T. Ravi for his post on his X handle for violation under section 125 of Representation of People Act and 505(2) of IPC in Basavanahalli police station for promoting hatred and enmity between different classes of citizens.
3. H.D. Kumaraswamy accuses Congress of distributing gift coupons with QR code to voters in Bengaluru Rural
Accusing the Election Commission of not ensuring transparency in parliamentary elections in Bengaluru Rural constituency, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy alleged that the Congress candidate had distributed gift coupons with QR code to voters. He claimed that Janata Dal (Secular) and BJP workers were attacked when they tried to prevent distribution of the material.
The coupons are in the name of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, his brother and Bengaluru Rural candidate D.K. Suresh, Kunigal MLA Ranganath, Magadi MLA H.C. Balakrishna, Ramanagar MLA Iqbal Hussein, MLC Puttanna and Congress leader Kusuma Hanumanthaiah. The Hindu got hold of a card distributed by the Congress in Ramanagara and learnt that it was distributed during a door-to-door campaign. The QR code on the card leads to a video of Congress candidate from Bengaluru Rural D.K. Suresh.
4. BJP and Congress workers clash outside polling booth near Bengaluru
Tension prevailed for some time outside a polling booth in Sarjapur town near Bengaluru when activists of the BJP clashed with those of the Congress party. The police personnel at the spot intervened and pacified the two sides.
Trouble started when a group of BJP leaders came out of the booth and allegedly abused the Congress workers present outside. The Congress workers retaliated, leading to a heated argument. The situation worsened when both the groups tried to attack each other.
5. Timely CPR by doctor saves life of woman voter at polling booth in Bengaluru
Timely cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by a doctor saved the life of a woman who complained of giddiness before collapsing at a polling in Jumbo Savari Dinne at J.P. Nagar 8th Phase in Bengaluru on April 26.
The woman, in her mid-fifties, was standing in the queue to vote when she complained of giddiness. She tried to take some water from the can kept in the booth, but complained of breathlessness and collapsed even before drinking the water.
