Here are the big stories from Karnataka today

Voting got underway for byelections to two Assembly costituencies — Bagalkot and Davangere South — in Karnataka on April 9, 2026. At 5 p.m., Bagalkot had recorded 65.68% polling while the figure for Davangere South constituency stood at 63.04%. The polls were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H.Y. Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.

Although the outcome of these byelections is unlikely to have an immediate impact on State politics, the contest is seen as a matter of prestige for both the ruling Congress and the BJP. The BJP is looking to make gains in the bypolls and energise its cadre ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections. For the Congress, retaining both seats is crucial, as a loss could be seen as a negative verdict on the performance of the Siddaramaiah-led dispensation.