First phase of TN local body polls witnesses 65 pc turnout

The first phase of local body polls, on Friday, which was conducted after a period of eight years witnessed moderate to brisk turnout in all the rural areas of the 27 districts that went for polling. According to State Election Commission (SEC) officials, the final poll percentage is likely to cross 65 per cent.

Amid tight security, poor arrangements by the State Election Commission and the district collectorates forced people to spend more than an hour to cast their votes in most areas.

Violence was also reported in a few areas. Tiruvallur district administration officials also cancelled the polling at booth number 83 and 84 at Pamparambakkam village in Kadambathur union after a mob barged into a polling centre at a higher secondary school in Pambarambakkam creating tension and torched the ballot boxes. Police registered a case and are on the lookout for the suspects. There were also incidents of symbol mismatch and slow polling which fumed the voters.  “The poll percentage is likely to be around 65 per cent in central districts of delta region covering Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. Madurai recorded brisk polling throughout the day and is likely to reach around 70 per cent. Jallikattu fame Alanganallur taluk in Madurai recorded the maximum polling in Madurai,” an official said. “The final recording of polling should be above 65 per cent,” the official said.

“An estimated 15 to 20 per cent of polling was reported in the first three hours, but the crowd fizzled out after noon. Again, the polling gained pace after 3 pm,” he added.

Similarly, polling booths in Trichy witnessed serpentine queues and the public was forced to spend more time to cast their votes in Poonganur taluk. The crowd was moderate in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram.

In the first phase, polling was held in 156 panchayat unions to elect 260 ward members of district panchayats, 2,546 members of panchayat unions and 37,830 panchayat members.  According to State Election Commissioner R Palaniswamy, ballot method was being followed in the elections and four types of coloured ballot papers were used in the polls. “More than 48,000 personnel and 14,500 non-police personnel like ex-servicemen were pressed in to poll duty to ensure free and fair polling,” he said.

Live streaming of the polling was also done. Micro observers were posted and the entire process was video graphed.

Brisk polling was witnessed across the Central and southern region on Friday during the phase I elections for local bodies.

Though there were a few incidents, the polling otherwise went on smoothly and each revenue district has a remarkable poll per cent. In Tiruchy, election for six unions were held and the total polling percent was 76.18 among which Anthanallur Union registered the highest percentile of 81.87 while Manapparai registered 79.17 per cent.

Meanwhile in Tiruvarur, the total per cent of polling was 76.93 in five unions. Among them, Thiruthuraipoondi recorded the highest voters’ turnout of 78.21 per cent. While Thanjavur recorded 66 per cent. Polling for seven unions was held in Thanjavur district.

In the meantime, in Perambalur the election was held for two unions and 77.4 per cent voters turned to exercise their franchise. Similarly, in Ariyalyur, Pudukkottai and Karur the more than 70 per cent was registered. 

Meanwhile, in Madurai, polling was delayed for some minutes after the independent and Naam Tamilar Katchi candidates briefly blocked the gates of Othakadai Elementary School where polling is taking place, accusing that the ruling AIADMK and DMK candidates were campaigning within 100 metres, a prohibited zone of the polling booth.   Confusions in Coimbatore and western region

Confusion marred the conduct of the first phase of rural local body polls in Western districts. In several polling booths in Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri and The Nilgiris, voting was stopped following protests by opposition parties alleging that the government seal was affixed on the symbol of the ruling party in the ballot sheet.

At a polling booth in Karuvalli in Kadayampatty Union in Salem district, the polling was stopped for about two hours after the DMK and BJP workers alleged that the government seal has been affixed on the AIADMK symbol making it appear that votes were cast for the party. Candidates from the AIADMK, DMK, BJP and independents are in the fray for various posts in Kadayampatty Union.

On receiving information, election officer Vediappan, Tahsildar Maheshwari, Block Development Officer Karunanidhi held talks with the protesting party men and sealed the ballot box, which had received 63 votes. Then, voting commenced with fresh ballot sheets after a delay of around two hours at 10 am.

Similarly, polling was stopped for an hour at Maniakaranur Government Middle School after the government seal was on the symbol of the AIADMK. The ballot box was sealed and fresh voting commenced with new sheets.

In Namakkal district, voting was stopped for a while at the 10th ward in Tiruchengodu Union after Congress men claimed that their party symbol has not been printed properly. In Dharmapuri district, the villagers of Konampatty near Harur boycotted polls demanding basic facilities and seeking for a polling booth in their neighbourhood itself. The 119 eligible voters abstained as the polling booth has been located three km away and that they do not have proper transportation. In The Nilgiris, as many as 118 villagers protested after their names were found missing in the voters list.

With a bizarre request, an independent candidate and her husband staged a protest in front of the polling booth in Thanjavur on Friday. They demanded the officials to remove locks from the entire building as it was the symbol of another candidate.

Sources said, S Rafiyat Farthana (25) wife of Saddam Hussain from Mukasagalyanapuram and S Foujiana (30), wife of Shiek Allaudeen were contesting for the panchayat president’s post for which polling was held at Mohammed Bandhar Panchayat Union Middle School.

It is said, Shiek Allaudeen had signaled the voters to vote in favour of his wife Foujiana by showing the lock hanging in the polling booth. On seeing this, Saddam Hussain opposed it and argued with the officials and asked the officials to remove Sheik Allaudeen from the spot.  Saddam Hussain also staged a protest in front of the polling booths and demanded to remove all the locks hanging in the entire building.

On information, Tiruvaiyaru police led by the DSP Periyannan, Tiruvaiyaru Tahsildhar Elamaruthi held talks with the agitating couple. Later, the police also removed those who were protesting and Shiek Allaudeen. The polling was stopped for half an hour.

Brisk polling was seen in 9 panchayat unions where 9,084 candidates are in the fray for the 4,176 posts of village panchayat presidents, ward members, district panchayat ward members and panchayat union ward members on Friday in Tiruvannamalai district.

In the first day of the staggered two-day polling for the district, voters in nine panchayat unions including Tiruvannamalai, Kilpennathur, Thurinjapuram, Thandarampattu, Cheyyar, Anakavoor, Vembakkam, Thellar and Pernamallur exercised their franchise.

The voting percentage was 71.02 % at 5 pm where of the total 8,62,559 voters, 4,43,965 cast their votes. However, till then none of 54 third gender voters turned up for this exercise, officials said.

VIPs who exercised their franchise included Collector KS Kandasamy, who cast his vote in a government school near the Collectorate while Tiruvannamalai MP CN Annadurai exercised his franchise in a school in the town. Former DMK minister EV Velu cast his vote at S Koodalur village in Thandarampattu panchayat union.

Sources said not only cash, but also freebies in the form of saris, lamps (kuthu villakku) rice and even chicken were distributed to the voters as the vigilance by the State Election Commission was considered weak. For the first time, those contesting even village panchayat wards – where votes number around 200 – were offering up to Rs 250 for votes.

“All of us know that even after receiving ‘gifts’ from three of us they would only vote for one of us is a risk we cannot avoid,” a contestant seeking anonymity said.