TIRUPPUR: Approximately 88.28% voter turnout was recorded in all the eight Assembly constituencies in Tiruppur district. The highest voter turnout, 91.22%, was recorded in the Kangeyam constituency.
Speaking to TNIE, Manish Narnaware, District Returning Officer and the Collector, said, "Voting concluded in all constituencies without any issues."
Voting was held on Thursday in the Tiruppur South, Tiruppur North, Palladam, Avinashi (SC), Dharapuram (SC), Madathukulam, Kangeyam, and Udumalaipet assembly constituencies in the district.
Voting was brisk in all constituencies as soon it began at 7 am.
In Tiruppur South, voting at a polling station on Noyyal Street began with a delay of about 20 minutes due to EVM malfunctions in two booths.
Around 44% voting was recorded in Pattampalayam in the Tiruppur North constituency at 10.25 am.
Voters at the Thoravalur Government Middle School in the North constituency complained of inadequate drinking water facilities and a sunroof.
In the Tiruppur South constituency 77% of the votes had been recorded at the Perichipalayam booth (No. 176) by 2 pm. "This is a faster turnout than usual," said officials.
In most areas, the public waited in long queues and cast their votes despite the heat.
Maiden vote at 44
Usually, first-time voters are only 18-years-old when they vote in elections. But, in the Tiruppur North constituency, a 44-year-old woman cast her vote for the first time.
R Vijayalakshmi, a resident of Muruganandapuram in Tiruppur, cast her maiden vote at the polling booth set up at the Pattampalayam Panchayat Union Primary School.
Speaking to TNIE, Vijayalakshmi, who is a knitwear company tailor, said, "My hometown is Vellakovil. I had applied for a voter ID card 18 years ago after I got married. But for some reason I didn't get it. I applied even four years ago but the voter ID card was not issued again. I applied again a few months ago and finally received it."
On Thursday she travelled several kilometres by bus with her daughter to reach the polling station located almost at the border of her constituency.