CHENNAI: The first phase of elections to rural local bodies was conducted in nine districts peacefully on Wednesday with a voter turnout of 74.37 per cent. The last time local body elections were held in these districts was 2011.
The voting went off without any major complaints at most polling stations between 7 am and 6 pm. A few polling booths in Ranipettai and Kallakurichi districts, however, witnessed altercations between DMK and AIADMK workers after election symbols were displayed near the polling booths. Contestants at a few places claimed their supporters’ names were removed from the voters’ list.
At Naranapuram, villagers temporarily prevented polling staff from collecting the ballot boxes following a clash with villagers from A Maruthappapuram. In some parts of Kallakurichi district, polling was delayed due to rain. The polling time was extended by more than two hours in a few polling booths for various reasons. Hence, assessment of the final polling percentage was delayed.
The nine districts that witnessed elections had 41.94 lakh voters and 79,443 candidates. Polling for presidents and ward members of 1,577 village panchayats was conducted through paper ballots. There are 12,252 ward-member posts in these panchayats.
Besides this, votes were cast to select 78 district panchayat ward members and 755 panchayat union ward members in Villupuram, Tirupattur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Kallakurichi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts.
765 FIRs registered, Rs 97.86 lakh seized
State Election Commissioner V Palanikumar said 765 FIRs were registered for various poll-related violations, and cash worth Rs 97.86 lakh was seized from the nine districts till the day before the polls. While panchayat presidents alone are elected directly, district panchayat presidents, deputy presidents, and others are chosen by ward members