Tamil Nadu registered 70.9 per cent polling for the 38 Lok Sabha seats Thursday even as paramilitary forces fired in the air near Arakkonam in Vellore district to disperse a restive crowd.
The bypoll to 18 assembly constituencies held along the Lok Sabha polls saw 67.08 per cent voting percentage.
The polling percentages are as of 7 PM.
Voting drew to a close in the state at 6 PM, except in Madurai, where polling has been allowed till 8 PM in view of the local temple festival.
All voters who had turned up at polling stations ahead of 6 PM were allowed to vote.
A senior police official told PTI that paramilitary forces had to open fire near Arakkonam to disperse crowds and more details were awaited.
Arani Lok Sabha seat registered 76.49 per cent turnout and the voting percentage in other Parliamentary seats ranged between 55.07 (lowest in Kanyakumari) and Chidambaram 70.73 per cent.
The assembly polls saw Harur in Dharmapuri district recording a turnout of 79.91 per cent while that in other seats were between 51.44 (lowest in Periyakulam) and 78.12 per cent (Nilakkottai).
Perambur in the city recorded 59.45 per cent votes.
Earlier, the DMK had charged the ruling AIADMK with planning to do "booth-capturing" towards the close of voting.
Tamil Nadu has a total of 67,720 polling stations and 7,780 booths have been categorised as critical and vulnerable where more Central Armed Police Forces personnel, and micro-observers were deployed.
DMK member hacked to death
A DMK member was hacked to death allegedly by supporters of an AIADMK functionary in full public view here Thursday, police said.
M S Pandian, in his late 30s, was attacked by the group with sickles on the busy Keezhavali road in the morning.
He was rushed to a hospital where he died without responding to treatment, they said.
He was nephew of former DMK zonal chairman V K Gurusamy and the attack by supporters of local AIADMK leader Rajapandian was due to previous enmity, police said adding it was not related to election.
11 am polling percentage in TN : 30.62; highest at Arani - 36.51; lowest Chennai Central 22.89; Chennai North 23.36 ; Chennai South 23.87; Chennai Central 22.89; Madurai 25.41; Theni 31.17 @NewIndianXpress
— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) April 18, 2019
#Arakkonam Parliamentary Constituency, till 11am, average polling-17.4% , Assembly segment wise figures
— Sivakumar_TNIE (@sivakumarie) April 18, 2019
Tiruttani - 17.76%
Arakkonam - 18.95%
Sholingur - 15.21%
Katpadi - 23.8%
Ranipettai - 17.86%
Arcot - 11.4% #LokSabhaElections2019 @NewIndianXpress
In a historic moment, the inmates of the Institute of Mental Health voted in the polling booth set up at the centre by Chennai Corporation electoral officers. READ FULL REPORT HERE
Enraged voter questions government officials' negligence as they have missed out his family members' names in the voters' list. #ElectionsWithTNIE #TNElection2019 https://t.co/A95ifhyNWN
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) April 18, 2019
23.01 percentages of vote polled in Villupuram Lok Sabha constituency and 23.12 overall polling percentage of Villupuram district till 11 AM @NewIndianXpress @TNelectionsCEO @ECISVEEP
— Bagalavan Perier B (@Bagalavan_TNIE) April 18, 2019
Voters name got deleted. Those who have changed adress had notified 4 months ago but my name is not there in old Vannarpettai booth @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/ZPQniXYNxW
— Shivakumar C (@shivakumar_tnie) April 18, 2019
In Royapuram during the first two hours the polling percentage had been 4.2pc. A total of 7473 votes of the total 178724 votes were cast. We expect low polling in Royapuram, Harbour and Egmore, the Zonal officer said.
Dayalu Ammal, wife of late leader M Karunanidhi came out today after many months to cast her vote in Lok Sabha election @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/MpPq9Q9Tcq
— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) April 18, 2019
Voters left stranded for over an hour, since EVM in Sengulam colony of Tiruchy polling center goes defunct for the third time since morning.
Another senior citizen identified as 74-year-old Krishnan from Omalur died of heart attack after casting his vote in Salem district.
A 65-year-old man Murugesan, who came to cast his vote at Sivagiri, Erode died at the polling booth.
A muslim woman voter name is left out from voter roll. "I voted in last election," says Munira of Georgetown @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/khMQvOgEBI
— Shivakumar C (@shivakumar_tnie) April 18, 2019
In Georgetown, booth of the 1134 votes, 171 have voted till 10am. The booth officer said many voters were found deleted. The booth has 610 male voters and 524 female voters, reports TNIE correspondent Shivakumar C.
Madurai - 7.42
Theni - 7.94
Dingidul - 10.6
Ramanathapuram- 11.57
Tenkasi - 6.44
Sivaganga - 5.53
Virudhunagar - 5.5
Tirunelveli - 2.37
Thoothukudi - 7.98
Kanniyakumari - 7.94
13.48 per cent votes have been polled across the State till 9 am, says Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo.
Polling currently stopped in Metu Thirukampuliyur in Mayanur of Karur district due to quarrel between ADMK and AMMK.
Polling in Puducherry witnessed malfunctioning in some EVMs in booth spread across the UT.
Two Naxals killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh.
Polling yet to start at Syed Mohammed Govt. Higher Secondary School polling station in Thondi.
The voting percentage in five constituencies of Bihar stands at 5.17 per cent till 8 am.
In coalition with the JD(S), Congress hopes that its combined vote share and possible disgruntlement against BJP’s surprise candidate Tejasvi Surya will take it past the halfway mark in the seat that has been BJP’s bastion since 1991.
Polling delayed in booths in Kamaraj Nagar, Ariyankuppam and Nellithope Assembly segments in Puducherry due to snag in EVMs.
Sixty-six per cent turnout recorded in second phase of Lok Sabha polls, says Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha.
Polling agents of different political parties are using Voter Helpline app available in Google play store to help voters to find details in respect to their polling stations.
Polling ends in Madurai. Tokens were issued to the voters who came to the booths in the last minute.
State Congress President Ashok Chavan, former Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, leader of Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi Adv Prakash Ambedkar, six sitting MPs including Pritam Munde and 179 other candidates are in fray for these 10 seats.
Karnataka: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives at polling booth 54 in Jayanagar of Bangalore South Parliamentary constituency to cast her vote. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/Gyq9ywrvJR
— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019
Several voters Express spoke to across the constituency, which is composed of Andipatti, Bodi, Cumbum, Periyakulam, Usilampatti and Sholavanthan Assembly segments, said that they had received money from virtually every party with a candidate in the fray.
Lok Sabha polls 7 pm percentage at 69.55 ; this may go up to 72 pc @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/EcIVsnSM0j
— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) April 18, 2019
Polling is yet to begin at a booth in Raiganj Parliamentary constituency, as the EVM at the booth is not functioning. CPM's Mohammed Salim is the outgoing MP from the constituency.
Due to EVM glitch, voting delayed in three polling booths in Padmanabhapuram.
Polling has been stopped in 7 booths of Madurai North constituency at Muthusamy Higher Secondary school - polling station after a sticker was found on the EVMs with suspicious signature mentioning the letters 'AIADMK'.
PMK candidate K Jothimuthu returned from KR Government Higher secondary school in Oddanchathram constituency due to EVM glitches.
Dear Citizens of India,
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 18, 2019
Phase 2 of the Lok Sabha polls start today. I am sure all those whose seats are polling today will strengthen our democracy by exercising their franchise.
I hope more youngsters head to the polling booths and vote!
All the eights seats going to polls today in western UP- Agra, Aligarh, Amroha, Bulandshahr, Fatehpur Sikri, Hathras, Mathura and Nagina – were won by the BJP under the Modi wave in 2014 with a respectable margin.
But will the BJP manage to retian the seats? (CLICK HERE TO READ)
Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo Wednesday urged voters in Tamil Nadu to brave the summer heat and cast their votes and that all arrangements have been made for free and fair conduct of the April 18 Lok Sabha polls.
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram cast his vote in Sittal Achi Memorial High School in Kandanur. @NewIndianXpress #Elections2019 #sivaganga #chidambaram #INC #SPA pic.twitter.com/ehfZuf3fki
— vignesh (@vignesh_tnie) April 18, 2019
Top Police and Revenue officials rush to Visharam in Arcot, #Arakkonam LS constituency, as tension prevails following clash between PMK and DMK men, police said to have fired in the open to disperse crowd, sources @NewIndianXpress
— Sivakumar_TNIE (@sivakumarie) April 18, 2019
Even after 6 pm, the polling is continuing at a private school in M KNagar, Chennai. Over 500 voters are currently standing in queue to cast their votes in South Chennai
Mandya :The Congress ceded the seat to the JD(S) which has fielded Nikhil Gowda, the son of the chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. He is facing Sumalatha, the wife of actor Ambareesh, who is contesting as an independent. Ambareesh, who died last year, has been elected from here thrice. The BJP has not put up a candidate and is backing Sumalatha.
Tumkur :Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda who won from Hassan in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls has switched to Tumkur this time. He is up against GS Basavaraj of the BJP.
Hassan :Deve Gowda vacated Hassan for his grandson Prajwal Revanna, who is the son of PWD minister HD Revanna. Prajwal is taking on A Manju who defected from the Congress to the BJP just before the polls.
Karnataka: Visuals from polling station number 235 in Ramnagara. 14 Parliamentary constituencies of the state will undergo polling today in the second phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/F2EYCHgG2Y
— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019
HD Deve Gowda, BJP lawmaker Hema Malini, Congress' Veerappa Moily, DMK MP lawmaker Kanimozhi, Congress' Raj Babbar and Farooq Abdullah are among the high profile candidate in the fray.
Mobile internet services have been snapped in Srinagar and other parts of the valley as a precautionary measure, as Srinagar and Udhampur parliamentary constituencies go to vote today. (ANI).
Tuticorin: Kanimozhi, daughter of former CM M Karunanidhi, is taking on state BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan. Just two days before the election, the I-T department had launched a raid on a house in which Kanimozhi was staying in Tuticorin.
Sivaganga: The Congress has once again fielded Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram. Karti had finished a distant fourth in the constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. His main rival is H Raja of the BJP.
Dharmapuri: Former Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss of the PMK, who successfully resisted the AIADMK wave that swept the state in 2014, is seeking re-election. He is pitted against S Senthil Kumar of the DMK.
Central Chennai: Former Union IT and telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran has once again been fielded by the DMK. Dayanidhi had won from here in 2004 and 2009. His main opponent is Sam Paul of the PMK. Kamal Haasan's MNM has fielded Kameela Nassar, wife of actor Nassar.
Kanyakumari: Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan of the BJP is seeking re-election. He will have to overcome the challenge of H Vasanthakumar of the Congress, the founder of Vasanth & Co. Incidentally, Vasanthakumar happens to be the uncle of the BJP's Tamilisai Soundararajan.
Assam: Outside visuals from polling station number 37&38 in Nagaon parliamentary constituency, ahead of the voting for #LokSabhaElections2019. 5 out of 14 parliamentary constituencies of Assam will go to polls today in the second phase of elections. pic.twitter.com/5mP0RRlmmM
— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019
Maoists struck on the eve of second phase election in Odisha, gunning down a woman poll officer and setting ablaze a poll vehicle on way to their booths on Wednesday in Kandhamal district.
Official hours for polling for LS Polls and bypolls to Assembly polls comes to an end 6pm except in Madurai ; those who are in the queue are being given tokens; at Madurai tokens will be issued to those in queue at 8pm when the polling ends @NewIndianXpress
— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) April 18, 2019
LS polls polling percentage constituency wise at 5 pm @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/NMmbnYtxET
— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) April 18, 2019
Lok Sabha Constituencies:
Madurai - 55.22
Theni - 68.54
Dingidul - 62.60
Ramanathapuram- 63.66
Tenkasi - 65.99
Sivaganga - 63.78
Virudhunagar - 64.50
Tirunelveli - 62.65
Thoothukudi - 62.66
Kanniyakumari - 55.07
Assembly Constituencies: (By-elections)
Paramakudi- 62.06
Sattur- 74.45
Manamadurai- 60.29
Nilakottai- 78.12
Andipatti- 65.37
Periyakulam- 51.44
Vilathikulam - 62.34
In Ariyalur district, one person suffered injuries after a fight broke out between workers of PMK and VCK. PMK workers allegedly broke ‘pots’ (VCK’s party symbol) in public places. Ariyalur falls under Chidambaram LS constituency from where VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan is contesting the elections.
Lok Sabha Constituencies:
Madurai - 48.27
Theni - 54.92
Dingidul - 54.33
Ramanathapuram- 47.42
Tenkasi - 48.58
Sivaganga - 46.04
Virudhunagar - 48.58
Tirunelveli - 48.25
Thoothukudi - 51.58
Kanniyakumari - 47.06
Assembly Constituencies: (By-elections)
Paramakudi- 45.49
Sattur- 46.49
Manamadurai- 45.25
Nilakottai- 60
Andipatti- 55.99
Periyakulam- 52.01
Vilathikulam - 53.98
On DMK complaint that AIADMK is planning for booth capturing after 3pm., CEO Satyabrata Sahoo says : No such incidence reported from anywhere in the State; as far as law and order issues, only stray incidents reported from few places @NewIndianXpress
— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) April 18, 2019
Violence breaks out in Ambur, AMMK candidate R Balasubramani's car is damaged, police men trying to defuse situation @NewIndianXpress
— Sivakumar_TNIE (@sivakumarie) April 18, 2019
#Polling hit in Kanikapuram in Vysarpadi in North chennai after malfunctioning of Vvpat @NewIndianXpress
— Shivakumar C (@shivakumar_tnie) April 18, 2019
Enayam Fishermen villagers stage protest at polling booth as their names go missing from the voters' list.
My right👆🏻My vote🗳#TNElection2019#GoVoteTN pic.twitter.com/DqFJNVdBaV
— Trish Krish (@trishtrashers) April 18, 2019
RCB have already lost their chance to make it to playoffs after a disastrous start to the season where the Bengaluru based franchise won just one of the eight matches they played so far. (READ FULL REPORT HERE)
The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Thursday alleged violation of the model code of conduct by DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran, the candidate from Central Chennai Lok Sabha constituency, saying he sought votes on polling day.
AIADMK has filed a complaint against DMK president MK Stalin for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct. In its complaint, AIADMK said Stalin had addressed the media at the polling booth. The party has urged the Election Commission to take against against Stalin.
Lok Sabha Constituencies:
Madurai - 37.4
Theni - 38.72
Dingidul - 39.32
Ramanathapuram- 38.99
Tenkasi - 40
Sivaganga - 39.83
Virudhunagar - 39.27
Tirunelveli - 39.9
Thoothukudi - 38.99
Kanniyakumari - 37.2
Assembly Constituencies (By-elections)
Paramakudi- 38.41
Sattur- 42.92
Manamadurai- 43.85
Nilakottai- 44.94
Andipatti- 41.87
Periyakulam- 32.33
Vilathikulam - 35.70
Singles, committed, nu oruthar vidama elarum vandhu vote podunga! #MakeYourMarkTN #GoVoteTN #ECI pic.twitter.com/W6ZLtEClf3
— TN Elections CEO (@TNelectionsCEO) April 18, 2019
Polling percentage at 1.30 pm : 39.49 p.c across the State; Chennai North 37.23; Chennai South 37.96 and Chennai Central 36.09. For by polls in 18 seats - 42.92 p.c ; till now 384 EVMs and 692 VVPATs have been replaced across TN @NewIndianXpress
— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) April 18, 2019
Another 80-yr-old voter Thulasiammal, dies of heart attack, after reaching a polling booth at Ananthalai in Ranipet, in Arakkonam Lok Sabha constituency.
#Thoothukudi BJP #candidate #Tamilisai #Soundararajan wishing voters at a poll booth #Raja higher secondary school, #Ettayapuram in #Thoothukudi. pic.twitter.com/QxfzColpqF
— Godson Wisely Dass (@tnie_godson) April 18, 2019
