Bengaluru : The re elections to 15 constituencies across Karnataka were held on Thursday, including 4 constituencies from capital city Bengaluru.

The results, which will be out on December 9, will decide the fate of the four-month-old Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government.

The voter turnout, according to Election Commission of India statistics, 66.25 percent voters turned up to exercise franchise to bypolls held for 15 vacant seats in Vidhana Soudha (Karnataka legislative assembly).

The seats fell vacant after 17 rebel MLAs from the Congress and JD(S) parties defected to the BJP in a bid to bring down the coalition government. The MLAs were subsequently disqualified from the House but allowed the contest today’s polls. Elections to two seats — Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Maski — are not being held today as separate election petitions challenging the results of the 2018 elections are pending in the Karnataka High Court.

In 13 of the 15 seats, the BJP has fielded Congress-JD(S) turncoats. The ruling party needs to win at least six of the 15 seats, or seven out of 17, to retain its majority.