The Kamaraj Nagar byelection on Monday witnessed a significant drop in voter turnout compared to the 2016 Assembly elections.
While the last Assembly elections witnessed 77.40% polling, only 69.44% voters turned up in the byelection.
Chief Electoral Officer Shurbir Singh in a press note said of the 35,009 voters, 24,310 voted. Of the total votes polled, 12,614 were women and 11,695 men.
There was no major law and order problem during the election. Counting of votes would be taken up on October 24 at the Motilal Nehru Government Polytechnic, Lawspet, Mr. Singh said.
The Kamaraj Nagar seat had fallen vacant after former Speaker and MLA V. Vaithilingam resigned following his election to the Lok Sabha from Puducherry in May.
Peaceful polling
Although the region experienced intermittent showers when the polling started at 7 a.m., people kept coming to the booths in small numbers. But as the rain stopped by around 8.30 a.m, people started gathering in the booths in large numbers.
As the day passed, again there was a lull in the voter turnout.
Voting passed off peacefully barring minor protests. Tension prevailed for a brief period at a polling booth in DAT when All India N.R. Congress candidate S. Bouvanesvarane and workers objected to the presence of Minister for Revenue M.O.H.F. Shahjahan. AINRC members contended that only agents of the Congress candidate was allowed inside the booth.
They dropped the protest only after the Minister left the place.
Ravin, an engineering student with a private engineering college, was one of the first to exercise his franchise at the Tamil Sangham polling booth in Kamaraj Nagar constituency.
“The election authorities have made arrangements for the people to cast their votes. Besides, all the candidates have come to our locality seeking votes. So, I thought of exercising my democratic responsibility before going to the college,” he told media.
Security was tightened at seven vulnerable booths by deploying personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces, besides men from the territorial police.
According to sub-collector Sudhakar, mock exercise was carried out from 5.30 a.m. and polling started at 7 a.m. There was no malfunctioning of EVMs reported from any of the 32 booths, he said.
In the 2016 Assembly elections, Mr. Vaithilingam had defeated AIADMK nominee P. Ganesan by 5,106 votes.
For the bypoll, Congress has fielded former legislator A. John Kumar and Principal Opposition party All India N. R Congress has fielded a realtor S. Bouvaneswarane.
