Around 70% voter turnout in Karnataka
New Delhi, May 12: Around 70 per cent voters exercised their franchise for Karnataka Assembly polls on Saturday, the Election Commission said here.
Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said the figure was likely to go up as data was still being collated from various polling stations where people queued up beyond 6 p.m. when the voting was supposed to end.
"As of now, the total turnout figure received is 70 per cent. However, we expect this number to increase, and hope it surpasses that of the previous elections," he said.
The Election Commission said the polling percentage may breach the 71.4 per cent mark recorded in the 2013 Assembly election in Karnataka which has nearly 5.07 crore voters.
Sinha said the highest polling of 76 per cent was recorded in Chikkaballapura and Ramanagara while Bengaluru Urban had the lowest turnout at 48 per cent.
Some 2,654 candidates, including 216 women, are in the fray for 222 seats out of a total 224. Voting was deferred in two constituencies.
Counting of votes will take place on May 15.
Sinha said the "seizure of cash, liquor and other goods was to the tune of Rs 186 crore, which was six times more than the Lok Sabha and eight times more than the Assembly election in 2013".
He said there 26 cases of paid news reported across the state, out of which 15 cases have been proved as paid news.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AR Rahman sends notice to 'slanderers' over speculations surrounding separation with Saira Banu
Chennai, Nov 23: Music composer AR Rahman on Saturday issued a warning to individuals speculating about his separation from his wife, Saira Banu.
Taking to social media on Saturday, the 57-year-old musician shared a three-page legal notice addressing those spreading defamatory and "objectionable" content targeting him and his family.
"Notice to all slanderers from ARR's Legal Team," Rahman wrote on X.
It comes days after Rahman and Saira Banu announced that they are ending their marriage of 29 years.
The notice provides a 24-hour window for the removal of such content, stating that failure to comply could result in legal consequences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
"My client informs the hatemongers and sharers of abusive contents to remove the objectionable content within the next one hour and a maximum time duration of 24 hours," read the notice.
Rahman’s legal team said the actions of these individuals not only tarnish his reputation but also cause distress to his family.
Rahman and Banu tied the knot in 1995 and share three children-- daughters Khatija, Raheema, and son Ameen.
Notice to all slanderers from ARR's Legal Team. pic.twitter.com/Nq3Eq6Su2x
— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) November 23, 2024
