Independents poll 2.01% in TN

Independents numbered more than the candidates of registered and recognised parties in a majority of the 39 constituencies

The 500-odd Independents who were in the fray for the Lok Sabha elections, along with the 320-odd candidates of the registered, recognised (national and State level) and smaller political parties, have polled 8.66 lakh votes, walking away with a vote share of 2.01 per cent.

Tamil Nadu, which had an electorate of 5.51 crore, witnessed 73.67 per cent polling, of which 2.01 per cent went to Independents.

Despite the Election Commission periodically increasing the deposit for contestants, the non-serious candidates getting into the fray has not come down, says an election official.

The deposit for contesting a Lok Sabha election was increased from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 in 1998, and it was again increased to Rs. 25,000 in 2009.

Independents outnumbered the candidates of the registered and recognised political parties in a majority of the 39 constituencies. Only in Erode, Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam, Nilgiris, Thanjavur and Thiruvallur, party candidates outnumbered the independents.

In Tenkasi and Tuticorin, there were an equal number of independents and party candidates in the fray.

Chennai North and South had the highest number of Independents with 27 and 30 in the entire State.