The ruling AIADMK was leading in the panchayat union councillor posts in early trends.
Cuddalore, Kammapuram, Kurunjipadi, Mangalur, Mel Bhuvanagiri, Panruti and Parangipettai, Kattumannarkovil, Vriddhachalam, Kumarachi, Keerapalayam, Annagramam, Nallur and Srimushnam were the 14 panchayat unions in Cuddalore district that went to the polls in two phases on December 27 and 30.
The first phase of elections registered 79.68% turnout and the second phase 80.89%.
Commotion prevailed at the counting centre in the Kolanjiappar Government Arts College in Vriddhachalam on Thursday after supporters of an Independent candidate ghearoed the election officials alleging that the authorities had wrongly counted votes in the election favouring the AIADMK candidate for the post of panchayat union councillor.
The counting of votes for 19 wards in Vriddhachalam Panchayat Union was under way. Of the 3,663 votes polled for ward number 1 in the union, Independent candidate Anand Kannan was leading with around 987 votes. However, the AIADMK candidate Arjunan who was trailing him with 860 votes, was declared the winner.
Mr. Kannan, along with his supporters, ghearoed the officials and objected to the results alleging that the authorities favoured the AIADMK. However, as the election officials were about to declare Mr. Kannan as the winner, the AIADMK candidate objected and demanded recounting. Mr. Kannan was declared winner at the end of recounting.
Counting stopped
The counting of votes for Sathamangalam Panchayat in Keerapalayam Panchayat Union was stopped midway after the name of one of the contesting candidates was missing from the draft electoral roll. The decision was taken on the basis of a petition filed by a few other candidates with the Returning Officer Balakrishnan.
According to official sources, the counting of votes for election to the post of panchayat president was on when District Collector V. Anbuselvan ordered that votes should not be counted until further orders.
Five candidates, including Arulselvam, were in the fray. While Mr. Arulselvam’s name was found in the electoral roll at the time of filing of nominations, the name was found missing in the draft electoral roll released recently.
