Tamil Nadu: 56.81 pc voter turnout till 1 pm
Chennai, April 23
Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 56.81 per cent till 1 p.m. on Thursday as polling progressed steadily across all 234 Assembly constituencies in a single phase election marked by a four-cornered contest.
The battle features the DMK-led alliance, the AIADMK-led front, Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), and actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
A total of 4,023 candidates are in the fray, with over 5.73 crore voters eligible to cast their ballots.
Among districts, Tiruppur registered the highest turnout at 62.97 per cent, followed by Namakkal (62.51 per cent), Erode (61.79 per cent) and Salem (61.42 per cent). The Nilgiris recorded the lowest turnout at 50.42 per cent, with Kanyakumari (50.35 per cent) and Tirunelveli (50.73 per cent) also witnessing relatively lower participation.
Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam cast his vote in Periyakulam in Theni district. Speaking to reporters, he said the political impact of Vijay would be known only after the results are declared.
Film personalities also joined voters in exercising their franchise and appealed for greater participation. Director K. Bhagyaraj voted in Chennai's Thousand Lights constituency along with his family and urged voters, especially the youth, to think about the next five years while casting their vote.
Actor Yogi Babu cast his vote in the Maduravoyal constituency after standing in a queue, and called upon citizens to recognise the importance of voting and ensure they take part in the democratic process.
Meanwhile, election authorities acted against violations of poll rules. In Tirupattur, a TVK functionary was arrested for allegedly recording a video inside a polling booth while casting his vote, which is prohibited under Election Commission norms.
Polling is being conducted under tight security arrangements across the State, with officials closely monitoring the process to ensure free and fair elections. The counting of votes will take place on May 4.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting to see Tiruppur leading with 62.97% - that's the textile hub, people there know the value of hard work and democracy. Meanwhile The Nilgiris and Kanyakumari at around 50% is concerning. Maybe the hill stations and coastal areas need more awareness campaigns next time.
As someone following Indian elections from abroad, this four-cornered contest is fascinating. DMK vs AIADMK is the traditional rivalry, but NTK and TVK are shaking things up. Whether Vijay's entry will split votes or bring new voters remains to be seen. The OPS comment about waiting for results is spot on.
Good to see K. Bhagyaraj urging youth to think about the next five years. But honestly, I wish more film personalities would also talk about issues like unemployment and education rather than just generic appeals. Still, every vote counts in this close fight.
Standing in queue to vote is a small sacrifice for a big responsibility. Yogi Babu did the right thing. But that TVK functionary getting arrested for recording inside booth - honestly, everyone knows the rules by now. EC needs to be stricter, especially with party workers setting bad examples.
56.81% is not bad for 1pm considering the heat in Tamil Nadu. But I worry about the four-cornered contest leading to a fractured mandate. With 4023 candidates, many will lose deposits. Hope people voted on issues, not just star power. May 4 will be interesting!
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