78.82 p.c. polling in Cuddalore constituency

Women voters who exercised their franchise outnumbered men by over 9,000

District Collector R.Kirlosh Kumar addressing the press meet at Cuddalore on Friday.

The Lok Sabha elections ended peacefully without any untoward incidents in the Cuddalore parliamentary constituency on Thursday. It registered 78.82 per cent polling, said R.Kirlosh Kumar, District Collector and Returning Officer.

He told presspersons here on Friday that of the total number of 12,47,644 electors in the six Assembly segments of the constituency 9,83,415 exercised their franchise. The turnout of woman voters outnumbered that of males by over 9,000.

Of the 38 “other” category voters, only three cast their votes. The Kurinjipadi Assembly segment registered the highest percentage of polling – 83.02 followed by Panruti – 81.24 per cent, Thittakudi (Reserve) – 78.41 per cent, Vriddhachalam – 78.19 per cent, Neyveli --- 77.26 per cent and Cuddalore – 74.70 per cent.

Mr Kumar said that at 10 places the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) developed snags which were immediately rectified.

All the EVMs from the polling stations were collected and safely deposited in the strong room of the Periyar government arts college which would act as a counting centre.

CCTV surveillance

All the EVMs were scrutinised by the candidates or their agents in the presence of the observers. As for the security arrangements at the counting centre, the Collector said that while the Central Industrial Security Force personnel would be guarding the inner perimeter, the police personnel would be manning the outer one. He said that six closed circuit television cameras mounted at vantage points of the counting centre would function round the clock till the counting process began on May 16.

The Tangedco officials had been requested to provide an uninterrupted power supply to the counting centre.

However, generator sets would also be requisitioned to provide the back-up, the Collector added.

Villupuram

The Villupuram (reserve) parliamentary constituency registered 75.7 per cent polling in the Lok Sabha elections. Of the six Assembly segments in the constituency Vanur registered 79.11 % , Ulunudrpet 78.7 %, Vikkiravandi 78.38 %, Tindivanam 76 %, Thirukkoilur 75 % and Villupuram 74.26 %.

According to District Collector V. Sampath, a total number of 3,216 ballot units and 1,608 control units were used in the constituency. After the polls the EVMs have been kept amidst tight security at Anna Government Arts College.