Bengaluru, April 18: Only 29 candidates, including 17 Independents, filed their nominations till Wednesday across the state for the May 12 Karnataka polls.

According to the Election Commission (EC)'s website, the 29 candidates filed a total of 34 nominations, with three candidates filing more than one nomination, after Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R. Vala notified on Tuesday the single phase polling in 224 assembly seats.

Among the nominations, one was from the ruling Congress, two from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and two from the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), while the remaining are 17 Independents and other parties.

As per the notification, April 24 is the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny of nominations will be on April 25 and last date for withdrawal of candidatures is April 27.

Polling is to be held from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. across 58,546 polling stations across the state using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs). Votes will be counted on May 15.

In a related development, the EC surveillance squads along with the police, have seized cash worth over Rs 31.28 crore from across the state since March 27, when the model code of conduct was enforced in the state.

Over 1.13 lakh litres of liquor valued at over Rs 4.5 crore was also seized from the state by the Excise Department.

The southern state has till date 4.96 crore electors - 2.52 crore men and 2.44 crore women. Over 15 lakh are first time voters in the 18-19 age group.

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Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.

India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.

After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.

De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.

The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.

Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.

De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.

India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.

The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.

But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.

What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).

Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.

Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.

All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.

Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.