Bengaluru: Karnataka is set to vote in 14 Lok Sabha seats today (April 26) with the southern state seeing a direct contest between the Congress and BJP, less than a year after they locked horns on the electoral battleground in 2023 Assembly Polls.

It's going to be a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) combined. The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The second phase of polling in the remaining 14 seats is on May 7.

Here are the Live updates

• 11.30 AM- 22.34% Voter Turnout Till 11 AM
  Around 22.34 per cent of voters turned up till 11 am to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha election 2024.
• 11.11 AM
  The FST (Flying Surveillance Team) of Chikkaballapura seized cash worth 4.8 Crores. An FIR also has been lodged K Sudhakar, BJP Candidate on 25.04.2024 at Madanayakanahally Police Station.
• 10.55 AM
  BJP candidate from Bengaluru South constituency, Tejasvi Surya, cast his vote in Bengaluru on Friday and stated that the Congress party may not win more than 30 seats in the Lok Sabha polls. He said, "Congress party has become frustrated. Survey after survey shows that it may not win more than 30 seats. The more personal attacks and baseless allegations they make against the PM, history has shown that the Prime Minister has only gotten stronger and the BJP has only gotten more popular."
• 10.35 AM
  Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah shows his inked finger after casting his vote at a polling booth in Siddaramana Hundi village of Chamarajanagar.
• 10.15 AM
  BJP MP from Bengaluru South, Tejasvi Surya said, "Congress' argument on Inheritance Tax is conflicting in more ways than one. If the Congress is against inheritance, then why are Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi inheriting Congress? Out of 28 seats in Karnataka, 12 seats are being contested by the children of Congress leaders. So they are ready for a political inheritance, but when the middle-class common man saves money or assets for his children, then they are coming in between. If you are against all forms of inheritance, then you should stop the political inheritance of all dynastic families of Congress across the country, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Not once, but Manmohan Singh has said this statement countless times across platforms. The ideology and the vision of Congress is very clear."
• 10.05 AM
  Karnataka's Home Minister G Parameshwara casts his vote in the Lok Sabha polls.
• 10 AM
  Former PM and JD(S) president HD Deve Gowda casts his vote at a polling booth in Hassan.
• 9.35 AM - 9.21 per cent voter turnout till 9 AM
  According to the Election Commission of India, around 9.21 per cent of voters turned up till 9 am to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha Election 2024.
• 9.27 AM
  Congress candidate from Bengaluru South, Sowmya Reddy requests voters to come and vote. She said, " It is not just your right but also your fundamental duty. You have a huge responsibility to choose the right candidate and party to uphold the Constitution and to ensure that we have a stable, pro-people government."
• 9.17 AM
  Union Minister & BJP candidate from Bengaluru North, Shobha Karandlaje casts her vote at a polling booth in Bengaluru.
• 9.10 AM
  BJP candidate from Bengaluru South constituency Tejasvi Surya offers prayers at his residence ahead of casting his vote for the Lok Sabha polls. Congress has fielded Sowmya Reddy opposite Tejasvi Surya in the Bengaluru South constituency.
• 9.02 AM
  Opposition leader (LoP) R. Ashok cast his vote at a polling booth in Bengaluru Rural constituency.
• 8.22 AM - People want to see PM Modi continue his term, says Finance Minister
  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cast her vote at the BES polling booth in Bengaluru. She said, "I want more and more people to come out and vote. I think it is clear that people want a stable government, they want good policies, progress and development and that is why they are coming out. They want to see PM Modi continue his term."
• 7.47 AM - Actor Prakash Raj cast his vote
  Actor Prakash Raj cast his vote at a polling station in Bengaluru. After casting his vote, Raj said, "My vote stands for my right, for my power to choose who represents me, who will be my voice in the Parliament. It is very important to choose a candidate whom you believe in, and I have voted for the candidate I believe in and to the manifesto they have brought in and for the change, because of the hatred and divisive politics we have seen in the last decade."
• 7.25 AM
  Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman along with her father arrives at the BES polling booth in Bengaluru to cast vote in the Lok Sabha elections.
• 7.23 AM - Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble cast their vote
  Former Indian skipper and current head coach of the Indian cricket team Rahul Dravid and legendary Indian spinner Anil Kumble exercised their voting rights in Bengaluru.
• 7.17 AM - Sudha Murthy cast her vote
  Author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy cast her vote in Lok Sabha elections in Bengaluru "I want to tell everyone- don't sit at home, come out and vote, choose your leader. I always feel that urban people vote less as compared to those in rural areas. I request youngsters to come out and vote." Karnataka is voting on 14 seats today in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.
• 7.13 AM - Infosys founder Narayana Murthy cast his vote
  Infosys founder Narayana Murthy cast his vote at BES polling station in Bengaluru. After casting his vote in the Lok Sabha polls, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy says, "Once in every five years, we get an opportunity to execute the right given by our constitution, to chose whatever candidate from whichever party he/she is, to govern us. Today is a very happy day. Today is the day when we should all be enthusiastic to exercise our power."
• 7.00 AM - Polling Begins
  The voting for 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka began at 7 am. Over 2.88 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 30,602 polling stations
• 6.40 AM - Pink booth set up in Bangalore Rural constituency for second phase of LS polls to be held today
  As Bengaluru prepares for the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26, a pink booth model has been set up in the Ramnagar district of Bangalore Rural constituency for women voters, decorated with balloons, banners and chairs with pink colour etc.
• 6.28 AM - Bengaluru Metro extends metro service beyond scheduled time in view of Lok Sabha Polls
  Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Bengaluru, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) decided to extend metro services beyond the scheduled time of 11.55 pm to 00.35 am on April 27.

Candidates, constituencies

A total of 247 candidates -- 226 men and 21 women -- are in the fray in most of the southern and coastal districts. More than 2.88 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 30,602 polling stations where polling will take place between 7 am to 6 pm.

While the Congress is contesting in all 14 seats, BJP has fielded nominees in 11 and its alliance partner JD(S), which joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in three -- Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.

Besides the three, the segments where elections will be held on Friday are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South and Chikkballapur.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Congress and JD(S), which were in alliance and ruling the state then, had secured just one seat each in these 14 segments. The BJP had won in 11 and ensured the victory of a party supported independent candidate in Mandya. Having scored a thumping victory in the Assembly elections, the Congress now appears determined to put up a strong show.

Karnataka is the most important state for the BJP in south India as it's only here that it had held power in the past. "Its alliance partner JD(S) is fighting to remain politically relevant, after the Assembly poll drubbing," a political analyst said.

Polling Arrangements

According to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena, 1.4 lakh polling officials will be on duty for the first phase. Besides them, 5,000 micro-observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, 65 companies of Central Parliamentary Force and State Armed Police force of other States will also be deployed for security.

All the 2,829 polling stations of Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency will be webcast, Meena said. "This is as per the request of our returning officers and observers; so we have given more than double the Central parliamentary force for Bangalore Rural constituency. Seven companies of Central paramilitary forces have been inducted at the constituency since April 22," he told reporters on Wednesday.

In fact, out of the total 30,602 polling stations in the first phase, 19,701 will be webcast, and 1,370 covered via CCTVs, he said. Chikkaballapur has a maximum number of 29 candidates, followed by 24 in Bangalore Central, and Dakshina Kannada has the least number - nine.