The polling to elect the 16th Karnataka legislative assembly began on Wednesday morning amid tight security arrangements. The polling, which started at 7 a.m., will continue till 6 p.m. Brisk voting is expected across the state, as major political parties in the state are locked in the close contest. The last term (2018-2023) saw three Chief Ministers -- H.D. Kumaraswamy of JD (S), B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai of BJP -- in the period of five years.