Congress, allies call for bandh in Pondicherry over election date confusion

PUDUCHERRY: Condemning the State Election Commission, Congress and its allies have decided to organise a bandh here on Monday. Following the Madras High Court order to withdraw dates for local body election, new dates were announced a couple of days ago.

An order issued regarding ward reservation, was cancelled and it was informed that the same reservation followed for the 2006 local body election will be followed. This received criticism from political parties and organisations. 

On Saturday, ministers and all party MLAs held a meeting and decided to seek the Lieutenant Governor's intervention. The Puducherry Congress too organised a meeting with alliance party representatives. Congress State president AV Subramanian, MLAs Vainthiyaathan of Congress, Anibal Kennedy and L Sambath of DMK, DMK Presidium Chairman S P Sivakumar and many others were present in the meeting.

Later, Subramanian told mediapersons, "The confusion regarding elections in Puducherry was created purposefully. Reservation for backward and tribal communities has been affected. Condemning the NDA government for the confusion and the State Election Commissioner for acting without consulting parties, we have decided to organise the bandh."

On Sunday evening, Congress and allies distributed pamphlets regarding the bandh and requested the shopkeepers to take part in the protest.

78 per cent voter turnout in 2nd phase of local body polls

CHENNAI: The voter turnout for the second phase of local body polls held on October 9 was 78.47 per cent, as per data released by the State Election Commissioner. Villupuram polled the highest with 85.3 per cent followed by 82.5 per cent in Kallakuruchi and Ranipet.

In Vellore, 81 per cent people voted. The voter turnout in Tirupattur was 77.8 per cent followed by 75 per cent in Chengalpet, 73.3 per cent in Tenkasi, 72 per cent in Villupuram and 69 per cent in Tirunelveli.