Around ten per cent of the electorate cast their ballot in the first three hours of polling in 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka where elections are being held today.
Election Commission sources said Kolar witnessed brisk polling of nearly 15 per cent, while Bangalore South reported a low-turn out in the first hours.
Former Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily (Congress) and Krishna Byregowda (Congress) and BJP leaders D B Chandre Gowda and P C Mohan were among the early voters.
"We will win 15 of 17 constituencies going to polls today", Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told reporters in Hubli. "The electorate will not tolerate the secret understanding between the Congress and JDS".
Authorities have made elaborate security arrangements for the polls being held in Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Uttara Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikkaballapura and Kolar.
A total of 2.62 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase being held today.
As many as 29,126 polling stations have been set up and 43,400 electronic voting machines deployed.
