Bengaluru, April 26 (Reporter) Dakshina Kannada emerged as frontrunner with a robust 48.10 per cent participation rate by voters as the Election Commission on Friday reported an overall voter turnout of 38.23 per cent voting in Karnataka till 1 pm. In contrast, Bengaluru Central recorded the lowest turnout with only 30.10 per cent of voters engaging by the afternoon. Breaking down the turnout within Bengaluru, the North led with 32.25 percent, followed by the South with 31.51 percent. Beyond Bengaluru, other constituencies also displayed varying degrees of voter engagement. Udupi Chikkamagalur recorded a high turnout of 46.43 percent, followed by Tumkur (41.91), Mysuru (41.58), and Mandya (40.70). To ensure a smooth electoral process, the Election Commission deployed approximately 1.40 lakh polling officers across the state, supported by 5,000 micro-observers and 50,000 civil police officers. Moreover, 65 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Reserved Armed Forces were mobilized to maintain law and order during the voting process. Recognising the challenge of urban apathy, the Election Commission implemented proactive measures to enhance voter turnout, particularly in metropolitan areas like Bengaluru. Special efforts were made to mitigate the impact of extreme heatwave conditions and ensure accessibility for senior citizens and persons with disabilities...////...