BENGALURU: While voters of Bengaluru city are being blamed for the poor turnout, voters in Bengaluru Rural turned out in good numbers to cast their votes right from the morning. By noon voting at several polling stations in Bengaluru Rural was over 60%. In the 2013 assembly elections, the voter turnout in Bengaluru Rural was 82% and this time it is 76%.
Voters in this constituency headed to the booths from as early as 7 am as they had to tend to their farm lands. The unpredictable rain was also one of the reasons why they started voting early. “We have to go work in agricultural fields and it is better to finish our responsibility in the morning,” Chennappa, a farmer from Nelamangala, said.
Many of the voters did not have any idea about the VVPAT machines and expressed happiness. “All these years I had cast my vote in many elections, but this is a little different. I heard a beep and also could see which candidate I had voted for. This gives satisfaction of voting,” said Revamma, a voter from Channarayapatna near Devanahalli.At some of the polling stations in Hosakote taluk, CCTV cameras were installed at the last minute on Friday night, said the polling staff. This is because those centres were identified as sensitive and super-sensitive polling stations.