Tirunelveli segment records 70.46% peaceful polling; poor voter turnout in Palayamkottai

Voters waiting in a queue at a booth at Muslim Higher Secondary School at Melappalayam in Tirunelveli as an EVM malfunctioned during polling process on Friday. | Photo Credit: SHAIKMOHIDEEN A

Following incident-free electioneering, the Tirunelveli Parliamentary constituency witnessed above-average voter turnout of 70.46% on a peaceful Friday.

 Since the region is experiencing heat wave for the past couple of weeks, the voters lined-up in front of the booths right from 6.45 a.m. But the brisk polling lost steam as the heat increased.

 Commencement of polling got delayed in a few polling booths including a booth in Muslim Higher Secondary School, Melapalayam, Manakaavalanpillai Nagar, both in Palayamkottai Assembly segment and Oorudaiyaarkudiyiruppu in Tirunelveli Assembly constituency due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines. These issues were sorted out either with the help of technicians or by replacing the faulty EVMs.

 Tirunelveli District Collector and Returning Officer for Tirunelveli parliamentary constituency K. P. Karthikeyan cast his vote in a booth in St. John’s Higher Secondary School in Palayamkottai.

 Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, after casting his vote in a booth in ADH High School at Periyanayagipuram near his native village of Lebbai Valliyoor in Tirunelveli district, said Indian democracy and Constitution which were facing serious threat, should be protected at any cost. The people of Tamil Nadu, who are firm believers of democracy and egalitarian society, would always back these ideals through their votes.

 Tirunelveli Corporation Mayor P.M .Saravanan cast his vote in a booth in Thiruvalluvar Street in Tirunelveli Town.

 BJP candidate Nainar Nagenthiran, after exercising his franchise in Jayendra Swamigal Silver Jubilee Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Maharaja Nagar complained that no action was taken to curb cash distribution to the voters by the DMK.

 While rural Assembly segments like Ambasamudram and Alangulam witnessed brisk polling right from the beginning, Palayamkottai with high literacy rate and large number of middle and upper middle class families recorded only 53.22 poll percentage (till 5 p.m.) to retain once again the dubious distinction of recording lowest voter turnout in Tirunelveli Parliamentary constituency.

 “We left no stone unturned to increase poll percentage by organising voter awareness programmes in every possible place including Palayamkottai. In fact, we concentrated more on Palayamkottai and organised good number of voter awareness events to bring every voter to the booth as this Assembly segment’s voter turnout in the past has been poor. This election has given us new lessons that the educated are gradually losing their faith in democratic process and that they would share their opinions only on social media instead of casting their votes,” said a senior revenue official.

 Even though every booth had been provided with wheelchairs, only 50% of the Presiding Officers kept the movable chairs ready to be used by the senior citizens and the physically challenged voters. Even when three differently-abled voters came to cast their votes in the booth in TDTA Jayaraj Annapackiyam Matriculation Higher Secondary School near Tuckerammalpuram Check-Post in Palayamkottai within the first 30 minutes of polling, the wheelchair remained unboxed inside the booth.

 Only after the voters waiting in the queue raised this issue and a couple of them entered the booth to open the box, the wheelchair could be used by the aged and the physically challenged voters.

 DMK cadre Chellappa of Paaraiyadi in Tirunelveli Town suffered minor bleeding injury in the head when a clash broke-out among the ruling party cadres, who were reportedly under the influence of alcohol. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli West Geetha visited the spot along with Tirunelveli Town Inspector Bhaskar. The victim was taken to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital for treatment.

 The EVMs used in the election were taken to the Tirunelveli Government Engineering College, the counting centre for the votes polled in Tirunevleli segment. Three-tier security arrangements have been made in the counting centre where the EVMs would be kept in ‘strong rooms’ till June 4.