30 EVMs were replaced in Chitradurga district

Hubballi: Polling started with much zeal in all districts of Kittur Karnataka region in the morning. The polling was almost over by 5pm even as the authorities feared rainfall — cloudy weather prevailed at many districts.Muktumbi Doddamani, 83, sat on dharna in Mundargi town in Gadag district. She alleging that poll staff, on the pretext of helping her, pressed the button for a candidate of his choice. “As I could not see properly, I called a staff to show the buttons on the machine. But he pressed a button against my wish,” she alleged, which the poll officials have denied.Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai cast his vote in Shiggaon along with his daughter Aditi and son Bharat.As many as 30 EVMs were replaced after technical glitches in Chitradurga district. “Technical glitches were found in 23 EVMs during mock polling, and 7 EVMs in the beginning of the polling. They were replaced immediately,” said DC GRJ Divya Prabhu.As a voter clicked the photograph of voting at Government Urdu Primary School in Davanagere South constituency, DC Shivanand Kapashi and SP K Arun rushed to the booth. However, the voter was not traceable.Polling was partially hit at Maranbeed village in Hanagal taluk of Haveri district following the death of a bull named Suryaputra. Many villagers said Suryaputra, being “a star bull”, had won many prizes in races organised in surrounding villages. However, polling officials succeeded in convincing the villagers to cast their vote.