The 12-hour-long polling for 58 Assembly constituencies in southern Tamil Nadu and Lok Sabha by-poll for Kanniyakumari constituency ended on a largely peaceful note amidst resurgence of COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.
The 10 districts – Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari – recorded a combined poll percentage of around 65, which may go up to 70.
Except for minor glitches reported in the EVMs at some polling stations in Dindigul, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi and Virudhunagar, polling largely went on smoothly.
While Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK candidate for Bodi constituency O. Panneerselvam cast his vote in Periyakulam, former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram exercised his franchise in Kandanoor in Sivaganga district and former Union Minister M.K. Alagiri cast his vote at a polling station in Madurai. Several State Ministers cast their votes in their respective home towns.
Absence of wheelchairs at several polling stations irked sections of voters. Differently abled persons and senior citizens suffered in the sweltering heat. They were either carried in plastic chairs or physically lifted inside the stations by their relatives and police personnel.
A large number of voters had neglected appeals from the government and officials to wear face masks and maintain physical distancing at polling stations.
There were no significant law and order problems in the southern districts. A senior police officer said apart from Tamil Nadu Police, a large contingent of Central forces, deployed at vulnerable and critical polling stations, ensured peaceful polling. Even in Dalit-dominated Pappapatti panchayat in Madurai district, where elections could not be held in the past, there were no issues this time, he added.
Fishermen in Rameswaram had threatened to hoist black flags as a mark of protest against the Centre for not giving adequate compensation to their damaged boats. However, following Union Minister Giriraj Singh’s assurance that their problem would be addressed, they dropped the plan and cast their votes.
In Bodinaykanur constituency in Theni district, some people pelted the vehicle of AIADMK MP and son of Mr. Paneerselvam O.P. Raveendranath with stones at Perumal Naickenpatti around 3 p.m. when he was returning home after visiting a couple of polling stations.
AIADMK men, who chased the assailants, alleged that it was the handiwork of AMMK cadre. DMK candidate Thanga Tamilselvan said his party had nothing to do with the incident after it was claimed on social media that the opposition party was behind the attack.
There was a wordy altercation between PMK and DMK cadres in Chinnalapatti in Dindigul district. Police and revenue authorities pacified them after about two hours of talks. Election officials demanded adequate protection at the polling station.
In Tirunelveli, Tenkasi and Thoothukudi, strong presence of police at vulnerable stations ensured smooth polling, while in Virudhunagar district there were some reports of road blockade after opposition parties made complaints against BJP and AIADMK functionaries, officials said.
In Madurai, the CPI (M) cadre claimed to have nabbed some AIADMK men with tokens (meant for exchange for cash to voters) late in the evening. The police said they would investigate into the allegation.
