MADURAI: The much-hyped by-election at the Tirupparankundram assembly segment on Sunday recorded a voters turnout of 74.14 per cent. The electorate showed their maturity as the bypoll was largely peaceful, except for an hour-long delay to begin polling at more than five booths in Perungudi, Thanakkankulam, Silaiman, and Puliyur owing to a technical snag with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).
Of the 297 polling booths, 88 had been designated as sensitive. A posse of 4,037 police personnel, including four companies of paramilitary personnel, ensured security at the assembly segment, home to 3,04,478 voters, including 1,50,533 men, 1,53,918 women, and 27 third-gender persons.
In each booth, three voting machines were used to represent 38 candidates and the NOTA option. A total of 357 control units, 1,068 ballot units and 387 VVPAT machines were used in the 297 polling stations in the assembly constituency.
The constituency had been divided into 26 zones, and 170 web cameras were used to monitor the polling. In Perungudi and Thanakkankulam, DMK functionaries alleged that AIADMK cadre were canvassing voters near the polling booths. Candidates of AIADMK, DMK and other parties visited booths to ensure that a free and fair polling be held.
According to the Returning Officer, 2,25,838 voters, including 1,10,990 men, 1,14,844 women, and 4 third-gender persons, exercised their franchise. Voters turnout among men was 73.73 per cent, while that among women was 74.61 per cent. Turnout among third gender persons was, however, a mere 14.81 per cent. Later in the evening, voting machines, including the control units, were shifted to the counting centre at the Madurai Medical College, and kept in the strong room in the presence of election observers.
DMK cadre lay seige to Avaniyapuram police station
During the day, in a booth at Pappakudi, police detained two DMK agents — Balaji and Karthik — for allegedly not having an undersealed election identity card, and the duo was taken to Avaniyapuram police station for enquiry.
On information, the Madurai Central constituency MLA Palanivel Thyagarajan, DMK urban unit Secretary Thalapthy, along with DMK cader, lay siege to the police station. After a two-hour detention, the police released both the agents.