Brisk polling was reported in most parts of the central region, with Ariyalur and Karur districts recording high average polling of over 70%. Perambalur, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts, too, registered close to 70%.
The voting passed off peacefully in all nine districts of the region, where the elections were held for over 1,800 wards in the Corporations of Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Karur and Kumbakonam, 23 municipalities and 71 town panchayats.
Voters in some parts of the Cauvery delta region, especially Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts, braved mild showers in the morning to exercise their franchise. In Karur district, officials seized 38 mobile phones, allegedly meant for distribution to voters by some AIADMK workers. “Polling was by and large peaceful with no major incident anywhere in the zone,” Inspector-General of Police, Central Zone, V. Balakrishnan told The Hindu on Saturday. Ariyalur district reported a high average polling of 75.69% in the region. While 71.18% of the voters cast their votes in the Ariyalur municipality, 76.44% exercised their franchise in the Jayamkondam municipality. The polling percentage in the Udayarpalayam and Vardharajanpettai town panchayats was 82.35% and 79.33% respectively. Karur district, too, recorded a healthy polling of 74.02% by 5 p.m. The average polling percentage in the eight town panchayats in the district was as high as 85.47%, and in the three municipalities, it was 67.29%. The Karur Corporation reported 72.32% polling.
Although polling began on a sluggish note in Tiruchi, it gathered momentum after the first hour. The district recorded an average polling of 61.36%, with the 14 town panchayats reporting 74.87%. The five municipalities recorded 70.44% polling and the Tiruchi Corporation 57.25%.
Among the core delta districts, Tiruvarur recorded an average polling of 68.25% with the four municipalities registering an average polling of 66.28%. The seven town panchayats saw 72.69% turnout. In Mayiladuthurai district, 65.77% of the electorate cast their votes, while the overall polling percentage in the two municipalities and four town panchayats in Nagapattinam district was 69.19. In Perambalur district, 69.11% of the eligible voters cast their votes and Pudukottai district registered 69.61% polling.
Thanjavur district recorded 66% polling. The average turnout in the Corporations of Thanjavur and Kumbakonam was 62% and in the Adhirampattinam and Pattukotttai municipalities, it was 65%. The 20 town panchayats recorded 72%.
