On the first day of filing nominations for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, seven candidates filed their papers in Salem district, and one each in Erode and Namakkal districts.
In Salem, arrangements were made at 11 centres in the district, which has 11 Assembly constituencies, for receiving nominations from candidates.
According to election officials, two nominations were filed in Mettur constituency, three in Edappadi constituency and two in Salem North constituency. Candidates from prominent parties did not file their nomination on the first day.
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Deputy Police Commissioner (Law and Order) R. Chandrashekar said that about 300 police personnel have been deployed at the centres in Salem North, Salem West, Salem South and Veerapandi constituencies for security purpose.
Seventy-five personnel, including Armed Reserve and Tamil Nadu Special Police, have been deployed at each centre. police sources said
In Salem rural limits, the nominations were received at Gangavalli, Attur (reserve), Yercaud (Reserve), Omalur, Mettur, Edappadi and Sankari. According to police, a total of 216 personnel have been deployed at the centres.
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According to police, each centre had a team comprising a DSP, an inspector, five sub-inspectors and 20 police personnel for security purpose.
In Erode, an independent candidate filed his nomination on Friday.
Sixty-two-year-old K.S. ‘Kovanam’ Thangavel of Kuttapalayam on Kalingarayan Road filed his papers with P. Jeyarani, Returning Officer, Modakkurichi Assembly constituency. No other candidates turned up to file their papers.
Earlier in the day, police personnel were posted at the entrance of the Returning Officers’ offices to ensure that only two persons accompanied the candidates while filing the papers.
District Election Officer and Collector C. Kathiravan said that nominations would be received by the Returning Officers or Assistant Returning Officers of respective constituencies between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. from March 15 to 19.
In Namakkal, arrangements were made at six centres -- tahsildhar offices at Rasipuram, Senthamangalam, Kumarapalayam and Paramathi-Vellur and the District Revenue Office at Namakkal and Tiruchengode -- to receive nominations for elections to six Assembly constituencies in the district. T. Ramesh, a Gandhian, filed his nominations to contest from Namakkal constituency. According to police, about 100 police personnel were deployed for security purpose at the centres. Mandeep Singh Paramar, Expenditure Observer for Kumarapalayam and Tiruchengode constituencies, interacted with the Returning Officers during his visit to the nomination filing centres.