Mangalore : Polling for the Assembly elections began at various polling booths in Mangalore at 7 am on May 5. Congress candidate JR Lobo, BJP candidate Krishna J Palemar, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and other leaders exercised their franchise.

Mangalore South candidate JR Lobo arrived along with his family and cast his vote at the St Theresa School, while  Palemar voted at the polling booth at Jail Road. Yogish Bhat and Nalin Kumar exercised their franchise at St Aloysius College.

Voting began on a slow pace in the morning and is likely to pick up later on. It may be recalled here that the Election Commission has organized various awareness programmes to ensure maximum voter participation this time.