Tuesday’s by-elections to five Assembly constituencies - Bargur, Cumbum, Ilayangudi, Thondamuthur and Srivaikuntam – went off peacefully with a high turnout of voters.
The polling, which began at 7 a.m., was brisk from the beginning. By 4 p.m., about 76 per cent of the voters in Cumbum in the southern district of Theni exercised their franchise. This was followed by Bargur in the western part of the State with about 70 per cent turnout. Two other southern constituencies – Srivaiguntam and Ilayangudi – witnessed 68.5 per cent and 64 per cent polling respectively. Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district registered around 58 per cent, according to reports from the constituencies.
In Cumbum, there were tense moments briefly when members belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam quarreled with each other.
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Chennai is expected to provide information on the overall voter turnout later in the day.
