The byelection to the Corporation Councillor Ward No.15 of Madurai Corporation went off peacefully with no untoward incidents here on Sunday. The local body election was countermanded following the death of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate, S.P. Jayamani (60), just a day before the elections on October 16.
Despite torrential downpour, the voters turned out in reasonable numbers and final voting per cent stood at 57. It was more of a three-cornered contest between the AIADMK, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Congress.
The candidates who were in the fray included, J. Jayalakshmi, AIADMK, Maran (a) S.S.Maravarman, DMK, Alagarsamy (a) Saravanan of Congress, Santhanam, MDMK and two independents, Joseph and Krishnan.
There were four polling stations.
The polling which started at around 7.a.m. was very dull for almost an hour till 8 and then slowly picked up and then again, owing to rain, the voters came when the rain stopped, to exercise their democratic right. Still a few voters, both men and women, were found carrying umbrellas and lining up to cast their votes.
At around 3.p.m. 49 per cent polling was recorded, the ward has a total number of 8,950 voters, 4,446 male and 4504 female.
The total number of votes polled was 5081, among which 2,582 were females and 2,499 were male.
Adequate police protection was given to the polling stations and as per the Madras High Court Order, the polling was also videographed.
