Voting in the Karnataka Assembly elections on Wednesday gained momentum in the post-lunch period, being recorded at 52.18 per cent voter turnout till 3 p.m.
The voting, which began at 7 a.m., will continue till 6 p.m.
Voter turnout increased after the lunch hours, crossing 60 per cent in several high-voltage constituencies across the state. Going by the trend, the experts opine that the overall turnout will cross 70 per cent, indicating a close fight between political parties.
Turnout in the high-voltage Varuna seat, where veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faces minister V. Somanna, reached 61.88 per cent by 3 pm.
The trend of huge voter turnout in coastal and hilly regions continued. The turnout of voters reached 58.92 per cent in Virajpet seat while Madikeri seat registered 57.58 per cent polling.
Dakshina Kannada district, which witnessed revenge killings and communal incidents, also saw a large number of voters turning out to booths. Sullia recorded 59.95 per cent polling, Puttur 61.47 per cent, Bantwal 61.63 per cent, and Mangalore 57.32 per cent.
Mangalore City South recorded 49.29 per cent turnout, Mangalore City North 55.15 per cent, Moodabidri 57.12 per cent, and Belthangady 59.26 per cent.
In Udupi district, assembly segments Karkal saw 62.07 per cent polling, Kapu 62.08 per cent, Udupi 58.71 per cent, Kundapura 61.5 per cent and Byndoor 57.81 per cent.
Channapatna seat, where Janata Dal-Secular leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and BJP's former minister C.P. Yogeshwar have locked horns, saw 60.55 per cent voting. Kanakapura from where Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar is contesting recorded 64.5 per cent polling.
Chamarajpet seat in Bengaluru, which has a large number of Muslim voters, has recorded mere 39.77 per cent. Shikaripura seat from where B.Y. Vijayendra, former CM B.S. Yediyurappa's son is contesting, saw 61.08 per cent turnout.
Hubli-Dharwad Central, from where former CM Jagadish Shettar is contesting on Congress ticket, has seen only 49.32 per cent of voter turnout. Athani seat from where former Deputy CM Laxman Savadi is contesting has seen 59.35 per cent polling.