Over 72% voting recorded in single-phase assembly elections in Tamil Nadu

Tamilnadu registered 72.78 percentage of polling in the 16th Assembly election held yesterday. Chief electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said that polling was by and large peaceful in the State. Polling which took off at a slow pace yesterday morning picked up momentum gradually later in the afternoon. Kanyakumari District where Lok Sabha bye poll was also held recorded 68. 80 percentage.

Out of the 37 districts in the State, Karur recorded a maximum of 83. 94 percent votes. Kallakurichi, Dharmapuri, Ariyalur districts recorded more than 80 percent votes.

Thirty-three constituencies including Edappadi where aiadmk joint co ordinator and Chief Minister Palanisami contested recorded more than 80 percent votes. Chennai recorded a minimum of 58.98 percent votes yesterday. Five constituencies in Chennai including, Velachery registered 55 percent votes.

Voter turns out this time was lower than 2016 assembly polls which recorded 74.24 percent just making a two percent difference. The highest percentage in Tamilnadu polls was in 2011 where the voting percentage was 78.29 percent.

In the Union Territory of Puducherry, 81.64 % of total votes were polled in the General Election held yesterday, for the 30 members Legislative Assembly. The highest percentage of votes (i.e) 91.27 polled in Yanam constituency, and the lowest 73.24 poll percentage was recorded in Raj Bhavan constituency.

31 ballot units, 36 control units and 113 VVPATs were replaced during the mock poll and the actual poll. As a special arrangement, Covid infected persons were also allowed to cast



their votes in this election.

A total number of 510 Covid positive persons exercise their franchise in the respective booths, which includes 220 persons in Puducherry, 247 in Karaikal, 18 in Yanam, and 25 persons in Mahe.

The counting of votes will be held on May 2nd in 6 centres in the Union Territory. Due to Covid-19 threat, the Election Commission restricted the number of counting tables to 7,  per hall.  

Amid Covid, Kerala witnessed a high voter turnout of 74.02 percentage in the assembly election to 140 constituencies. Loksabha Bypoll to Malappuram was also held yesterday. 74.02% polling was reported for the assembly polls in which 957 candidates are contesting and 74.53 % polling was reported in Malappuram loksabha bypolls where 6 candidates are in the fray.

Voting was held from 7 am to 7 pm in 131 constituencies and till 6 pm in the 9 naxal affected areas. Barring some minor incidents polling was peaceful across the 40, 771 polling booths in the State.Covid protocol has been strictly followed in the polling process throughout the State. Covid patients and quarantined voters casted their votes in the final hour of polling wearing PPE kits.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the high voter turnout will be in LDF's favour and they will come to power again.Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that the UDF will get clear majority to form the Government. Meanwhile, the BJP State President K.Surendran said that the BJP will get a great victory in this election.