Earlier today, as the counting began in Karnataka's Davanagere South for the bypoll elections, the officials were forced to break open the EVM strong room
after the key went missing. The incident led to a delay in the counting process, and security personnel were asked to stay on standby as procedures were supposed to begin under supervision.
As the officials were unable to find the keys, they had to break open the room in the presence of candidates and observers, according to a Times of India report.
Davanagere, Karnataka: Vote counting for the Davanagere South by-election began at DRR School counting centre but was delayed after strongroom keys failed to match locks pic.twitter.com/aW2xJgxuZH
— IANS (@ians_india) May 4, 2026
Despite the counting facing a delay, trends did not wait, and Congress candidate Samarth Shamanur took a commanding lead early in the morning. Now, he is leading ahead of BJP's Srinivasa T Dasakariyappa by a margin of 5,824 votes.
The Davanagere South bypoll was announced after the death of senior leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, making the contest a prestige battle between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. The party fielded his grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun, as its candidate, while the BJP nominated Srinivasa T. Dasakariyappa, a party leader from the oppressed classes.
In Davanagere South, the other constituency, where bypolls were held, and counting is underway, Congress candidate Samarth Mallikarjun is leading ahead of BJP's Srinivasa T Dasakariyappa by a margin of 5,824 votes.
Bagalkot By-Poll
Ruling Congress candidate Umesh Meti won the Bagalkot assembly seat, for which the bypolls were held on April 9, by a margin of 22,332 votes, the Election Commission said.
The polls were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).
Umesh Meti, who is the son of H Y Meti, secured 98,919 votes, while BJP's Veerabhadrayya Charantimath, a former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate, secured 76,587 votes. Nine and 25 candidates were in the fray, respectively, in the Bagalkot and Davanagere South assembly constituencies.
