Chennai: Practically 80 per cent of the over 22,000 voters forged their votes within the Erode East by-election held in Tamil Nadu on Monday and the polling train was peaceable, officers mentioned, although campaigning for it was marred by controversies and violence.
As of 5pm, the voter turnout was 79.58%, in response to Tamil Nadu’s chief election officer Satyabrata Sahoo. Voting started at 7am and closed at 6pm.
Whereas 77 candidates are within the fray, the bypoll contest is immediately between Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan and AIADMK’s Ok S Thennarasu. Naam Tamilar Katchi’s Menkaka Navaneethan is the one lady candidate and actor-turned-politician Vijayankanth’s Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam’s (DMDK) S Anand is contesting.
The DMK-led coalition fielded Congress’ Elangovan after his son and MLA Thirumahan Everaa’ died in January, which necessitated this by-poll. Talking to reporters after casting his vote, Elangovan exuded confidence that 80% of the individuals would have voted for the ‘hand image’ because it represents a secular alliance. “Even earlier than they introduced my title, individuals had determined to vote for secularism. The win will strengthen chief minister M Ok Stalin’s 20-month-old authorities,” mentioned Elangovan. “Equally, the outcomes can even be an consequence of Rahul Gandhi’s (Bharat Jodo) yatra,” the Congress candidate mentioned. “That is additionally a precursor to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”
The AIADMK complained that the voting ink was of poor high quality and that it could come off simply. “We’re listening to points concerning the ink,” Thenarrasu instructed reporters, including that they might report it. He claimed that he would win by a margin of 25,000 votes.
AIADMK’s S Inbaraj filed a grievance on the ink with the election fee. Returning officer Ok Sivakumar instructed media that they’re utilizing the ink equipped by the Election Fee of India and once they inquired they didn’t discover fault with it.
“Polling went off peacefully,” mentioned Erode district collector H Krishnanunni, who was among the many early voters. As a result of defects, EVMs machines have been changed in 5 locations, he added. To maintain regulation and order state of affairs in management, greater than 1,500 native police personnel and near 700 CRPF personnel have been deployed.
Bigwigs of all of the events campaigned for the bypoll, for which 238 polling stations have been arrange.
Whereas the bypoll outcome would haven’t any rapid influence on the state’s current political panorama, it may set the tone for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
DMK president and chief minister Stalin had appealed to the individuals to contemplate the bypoll as a chance to guage the great efficiency of his authorities which delivered on its guarantees and vote for his social gathering’s ally, the Congress. AIADMK prime chief Ok Palaniswami squarely blamed the ruling social gathering over a bunch of points, together with rise in electrical energy tariff and never getting NEET exemption for Tamil Nadu as assured and appealed to the individuals to show the ruling social gathering a becoming lesson by voting for his social gathering’s ‘two leaves’ image.
Returning officer Ok Sivakumar mentioned, “Peaceable polling was performed and accomplished with none incident”.
Some voters in polling stations who have been within the queue by 6 pm have been offered tokens and allowed to vote. After polling ended, police, together with paramilitary personnel, took out a march to instill confidence amongst individuals and prevented congregation of public and social gathering employees to rule out scope for untoward incidents.
Just a few alleged technical glitches have been reported, prompting authorities to droop voting in two cubicles.
The AIADMK complained to the returning officer that some DMK males have been concerned in distribution of money at Asokapuram, however when authorities rushed to the spot they didn’t discover anybody, officers mentioned.
At Veerapanchathiram, complaints have been acquired that votes weren’t recorded for the supposed candidate after urgent a specific button on the digital voting machine (EVM). At Brough Highway, EVM didn’t operate correctly. In each locations, officers suspended voting for someday, earlier than resuming after addressing the glitches.
With PTI inputs