LIVE Karnataka Election Results 2019

Karnataka, in southern India, was formed in the year 1956. Before that the region was much smaller than its current size, comprising the regions belonging to the Kingdom of Mysore (till 1947). In 1956, when states were formed across India by redrawing borders (within the country) based on linguistic demographics, the state was considerably enlarged based on regions speaking its principal language - Kannada. This much larger region was known as Mysore State or Unified Mysore. It was only in 1973, on November 1, that Mysore State was renamed as Karnataka. It is India's eighth-largest state in terms of population, and sixth-largest state in terms of area (size). Karnataka is among the leading states in India in the IT sector, and the state capital - Bengaluru - is often called India's 'Silicon Valley' or 'Silicon Valley of the East'. According to the 2011 census, Karnataka has an approximate overall population of around 6.1 crore (61 million) people.

In the Parliament of India, Karnataka is represented by 28 seats in the Lok Sabha. These 28 Lok Sabha seats or parliamentary constituencies are: Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikkballapur, Kolar, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bijapur, Bidar, Bellary, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere, Shimoga, Chikkodi. Each of these 28 regions  in the state is represented by one seat each in the Lok Sabha, and the elected representative from these seats are known as Members of Parliament or MPs.

The 2019 Lok Sabha election is being held in seven phases. Out of these, Karnataka is voting in two phases - phases 3 and 4 of the General Election. Voting took place in Karnataka on April 18 and April 23. Counting of votes for all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, including Karnataka's 28, will take place on May 23, and the result will be declared the same day.

Karnataka Elections - Phase 1 of voting on April 18, 2019 (Thursday). The first phase of the Karnataka elections coincides with the second phase of the overall Lok Sabha elections. On this day, voting took place in 14 constituencies - Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi Chikmagalur, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mandya, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South, Chikkballapur, Kolar, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, and Bangalore Rural. While Chitradurga, Chamarajanagar, and Kolar are SC seats (seats reserved for scheduled caste candidates), the remaining constituencies are unreserved, and can be contested by any Indian citizen.

Karnataka Elections - Phase 2 of voting on April 23, 2019 (Tuesday). The second phase of the Karnataka elections coincides with the third phase of the overall Lok Sabha elections. On this day, voting took place in 14 constituencies - Bijapur, Bidar, Bellary, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere, Shimoga, Chikkodi. While Bijapur and Gulbarga are SC seats (seats reserved for scheduled caste candidates), Raichur and Bellary are ST seats (seats reserved for scheduled tribe candidates). The remaining constituencies are unreserved, and can be contested by any Indian citizen.

While the first phase of polling in Karnataka on April 18 saw an estimated voter turnout of 68 per cent, the second phase of polling - on April 23 - saw an estimated voter turnout of 67.5 per cent. A total of 2,67,51,893 voters were eligible to caste their vote in the first phase of the Karnataka elections in which 241candidates in contested. In the second phase, as many as 2,43,03,279 voters were eligible to vote and choose a candidate from among 237 contestants. Among the 237 candidates, 227 are men and 10 women.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP had won 17 of the 28 seats, while the Congress had won 9 seats and regional party Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) got 2. The 2019 Karnataka Lok Sabha election result will be declared on May 23.