CHENNAI: TVK president C Joseph Vijay on Thursday wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to extend polling time by two hours, alleging that thousands of voters were stranded at bus termini across the state due to inadequate transport arrangements.
However, the commission did not act on the request. Voting ended at 6 pm and only electors who gathered in the polling stations before the time for closure of polling were allowed to vote.
In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Vijay said large numbers of voters were left waiting in Chennai, as well as in other cities, with no buses available to reach their respective polling booths.
“Thousands of citizens who have travelled from across the world, other states and within Tamil Nadu to exercise their franchise have been left helpless due to heavy requisitioning of government buses and vehicles for poll duty without parallel arrangements for ordinary voters,” he said.
Calling it a “systematic failure”, Vijay alleged that the situation had the potential to disenfranchise a large section of voters.
“Any failure to act swiftly will not only suppress voter turnout but also erode public faith in the electoral process,” he said, adding that the commission “cannot remain a mute spectator while thousands are denied their constitutional right on polling day”.
Vijay sought an extension of polling hours till 8 pm, citing travel disruptions and long queues. The ECI, however, did not extend the polling time.