Polling peaceful in Erode district

Of the total 3,87,382 eligible voters, 2,92,702 exercised their franchise

Voters waiting at a polling station at Chavadipalayam Pudur in Modakurichi Panchayat Union on Friday.

Polling for the first phase of local body elections to 1,076 posts in seven panchayat unions went off peacefully at 657 polling stations across the district here on Friday.

Of the total 14 panchayat unions in the district, first phase of polling took place at the panchayat unions of Erode, Modakurichi, Kodumudi, Nambiyur, Talavadi, Gobichettipalayam and Thookanaickenpalayam for electing eight district panchayat ward members, 79 panchayat union ward members, 95 village panchayat presidents and 894 village panchayat ward members.

Polling commenced at 7 a.m. and electors, particularly youth, waited in long queues to cast their votes. Many electors faced difficulty in folding the ballot sheets after voting and were assisted by the polling officials at the booths. Availability of wheel chairs and ramps at the booths and assistance by the police personnel helped elderly people and differently-abled persons to cast their votes. Additional police personnel were posted at the 153 sensitive polling stations at 44 locations while web streaming was done at 58 booths and videography at 46 booths. As many as 49 micro observers monitored the poll process in the booths while 2,000 police personnel ensured that no untoward incidents took place during the day.

At a booth in Talavadi, a candidate was found in possession of booth slips that was opposed by other candidates. They questioned how booths slips that should have been distributed by anganwadi workers were in his possession.

Later, police intervened and pacified them. Following complaints that pamphlets of a candidate contesting for 46 Pudur Panchayat president in Modakurichi Union were thrown outside houses in large numbers in the early hours, election officials visited a few areas and held inquiries. Later, workers removed the pamphlets.

As many as 75.56 % of the electors exercised their franchise in the rural local body elections for which polling was held in the district here on Friday.

Of the total 3,87,382 eligible voters, including 1,88,322 men, 1,99,029 women and 31 transgender, a total of 2,92,702 exercised their franchise, including 1,44,415 men, 1,48,281 women and six transgender respectively. A total of 76.69% of male electors, 75.50% of female electors and 19.35% of transgender cast their vote during the polls held for seven panchayat unions here.