Braving inclement weather and power failure in a few areas, Puducherry was on course to keep intact its reputation for registering high voter turnout with over 80 per cent of its 9.41 lakh electorate casting votes for the 2016 Assembly elections by 5 p.m. on Monday.
As of 4 p.m., Puducherry had recorded 71.08 per cent polling, with Indira Nagar, Oussudu, Lawspet, Mannadipet, Thirubhuvanai, Embalam and Nettapakkam registering turnout in the range of 71 to 76 per cent.
Three-time Chief Minister and ruling AINRC president N. Rangasamy rode a motorcycle to the polling booth in Thilaspet to cast his vote. Mr. Rangasamy is seeking a mandate from Indira Nagar where the polling percentage was over 80 per cent as of 5 p.m.
Addressing reporters, Mr. Rangasamy evinced optimism of securing popular mandate as his government has “fulfilled all its promises and implemented several welfare measures.”
Among the first to cast his vote was former Union Minister of State and senior Congress leader V. Narayanasamy. After casting vote in a polling booth at Raj Bhavan, Mr. Narayansamy expressed hope that the Congress-DMK alliance would wrest power in the Union Territory.
Among other key political leaders, former Congress Chief Minister V. Vaithilingam, who is representing Kamaraj Nagar constituency, cast his vote in Madukkarai and AIADMK leader P. Kannan, who has been fielded in Raj Bhavan cast his vote at a school in the same constituency.
After casting his vote in Manavely, Pradesh Congress Committee president A. Namassivayam on Monday said that the high turnout of electorate in the Assembly elections showed that the people of Puducherry wanted change and their only interest was development of the Union Territory.
Power failure briefly slowed down the pace of voting in some polling booths.
Chief Electoral Officer V. Candavelou said, wherever power was interrupted, it was restored quickly and that the power cut did not disrupt polling. He also said no untoward incident had been reported.
Puducherry's voting percentage has been high in the last two Assembly elections. In 2011, the Union Territory recorded 85.52 per cent, and in 2006 it was even higher at 86 per cent.
For this year's elections, there are 344 candidates in the fray for 30 seats. This includes 96 Independents, 21 women and a sole transgender.
