The re-poll in eight polling stations, spread over six Assembly constituencies, went off peacefully on Saturday.
As seen on Wednesday when elections to the Assembly were held, a high turnout — 81.3 per cent — was recorded this time too.
A total of 6,018 electors cast their votes, of whom 2,926 were men and 3,092 women. The percentage of turnout was 79.4 per cent (men) and 83.2 per cent (women).
The re-poll took place in two stations each in Neyveli and Thiruvidaimarudur constituencies and one each in Arani, Bodinayakanur, Sankarankovil and Killiyoor constituencies.
The highest turnout of 93.2 per cent was in Sankarankovil. The figures for other constituencies are: Killiyoor – 70.2 per cent; Arani – 75; Bodinayakanur – 80.8; Neyveli – 83.5 and Thiruvidaimarudur – 85.64.
Additional Chief Electoral Officer D. Raajendiran was deputed from Chennai to supervise the re-poll in Neyveli where, on Wednesday, anti-social elements forced their entry into booths at Panchayat Middle School in the Samattikuppam area, snatched electronic voting machines from officials and broke them.
At Puliymapatti in Sankarankovil, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate C. Karuppasamy was the first to cast his vote in the morning.
Action against polling personnel
As the re-poll was held following complaints of irregularities, all four polling personnel and the zonal officer have been placed under suspension.
Besides, department-level disciplinary action will be initiated against them, according to M. Jayaraman, Tirunelveli Collector.
Tension at Bodinayackanur
At Bodinayackanur, the situation was tense around noon, when the police denied permission to AIADMK candidate O. Paneerselvam to go to the polling station. Mr. Paneerselvam argued with police officers and questioned how they had allowed Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate and sitting MLA S. Lakshmanan to enter the polling station. Cadres of the DMK and the AIADMK thronged the spot, scaling up tension. Later, the police officers convinced AIADMK candidate to go back. Security was tightened in the village. The police registered a case against the DMK candidate for poll code violation.
At Thiruvidaimarudur, where people had boycotted the poll on Wednesday in view of the wrong location of booths, the authorities decided to relocate them. The voter response was enthusiastic on Saturday.
