Intense campaigns for re-polling in Velachery booth 92 end

Though the booth has less than 1,000 voters on the rolls, political parties, including the AIADMK, Congress and Makkal Needhi Maiam, have taken the re-poll seriously and was seen making a hyperactive campaign on Thursday. 

Earlier in the day, tension prevailed between workers of the ruling AIADMK and the Opposition DMK as both traded charges against each other claiming that the other was violating the model code of conduct prescribed by the Election Commission. 

The EC granted 45 minutes for each party to campaign among the voters. AIADMK candidate MK Ashok alleged that the DMK started the campaign much in advance and consumed more time than the prescribed limit. However, the DMK members attached to the South Chennai unit denied the charges of AIADMK. Congress–DMK alliance candidate JMH Hassan also campaigned seeking votes. 

“The campaign comes to an end on Thursday night and squads have been formed to stop any cash inducement to voters. After the polling, the EVMs and the VVPATs will be shifted to the south Chennai strong room,” a local official on poll duty told DT Next. 

Meanwhile, district collectors, who are also district election officers, instructed those on vote counting duty to be cautious and report to the medical officers in case if they run temperature. The Collectors have also instructed returning officers to keep a batch of staff on reserve to be deployed in case if some get infected by COVID.