Repolling peaceful
SALEM/ CHENNAI/ VELLORE: Repolling at booth no 41 at Chinna Kondalampatti on Friday was peaceful, if not exactly democratic. The Election Commission ordered repolling, after the DMK men broke an electronic voting machine (EVM) during Wednesday’s election and unleashed violence in the area, an AIADMK stronghold.
Candidates tried their best to woo the voters on Thursday night, immediately after the announcement of the repoll.
K V Thangkabaalu of the Congress and a large number of DMK men arrived in the night at Arasamarathukaratur, which saw mob violence on Wednesday.
“Their sudden presence sent a chill down our spines and we wondered if the place would witness yet another bout of violence,” said Thangavel, a weaver in Seethamarathopu, a neighbouring habitation.
Thangkabaalu plunged straight into canvassing even as the DMK men were seen guarding him. On hearing about this, AIADMK candidate S Semmalai arrived at the spot with a large number of supporters and he too started to go about the area to solicit votes.
VELLORE: tight security, a repoll was held in booth number 30 at Melvallam village here that comes under Arcot assembly segment of Arakonam constituency. The polling station had registered 79.9 per cent polling on Friday. Of the total 848 voters, 678 cast their votes on Friday. That was 33 votes more than the 645 votes cast on Wednesday.
BRISK REPOLLING: Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta informed that booth number 30 at Melvallam in Arakkonam recorded 80.5 per cent polling and booth number 41 at Amankondalampatti in Salem had 81.4 per cent voter turnout.
Booth number 32 M at Thombillipalayam in Pollachi, the third place where repolling was held, registered 82.4 per cent polling. On the clash between the DMK and MMK men in Ice House, Gupta said the observers for the booth had sent their report to the Election Commission.