CHENNAI: All arrangements are in place for polling in the two Assembly constituencies — Madurantakam (SC) and Dharapuram (SC) — on Tuesday (October 6) between 7 am and 6 pm. The high-pitched campaign for the bypolls ended on Sunday after an intensive final round of canvassing by all major political parties.
As per Election Commission data, there are 2,13,788 voters in Madurantakam SC-reserved seat. Of them, 1,04,926 are men and 1,08,797 women. There are 65 transgender persons on the electoral rolls in this constituency, which has 285 polling stations.
Twenty-seven candidates are in the fray in this constituency including 17 independents. Candidates include: S Kanitha Sampath (AIADMK), I Paranthamen (DMK), K Maragatham Kumaravel (TVK), P Suganthi (CPM), G Janakiraman (NTK). In this seat, 342 EVMs, including 20% reserve, will be used in this bye-election.
The Dharapuram Assembly constituency has 2,23,306 voters, including 1,07,285 men and 1,16,013 women. It has eight transgender voters on the electoral rolls. There are 22 candidates in the fray in this Assembly segment, and of them, 14 are independents.
Candidates include: K Banumathi (AIADMK), S Suganya (DMK), P Sathyabama (TVK), P Lakshmanan (CPI), and M Karthika (NTK). There are 320 polling stations in this constituency. As many as 384 EVMs, including 20% reserve, will be used.
As the first bye-election since the TVK-led government came to power is crucial for the ruling party and the Dravidian majors, leaders have made frequent visits to the two segments, more than usual for a bypoll. A holiday has been declared there on polling day.
Voters entitled to paid leave on poll day
The ECI, in a release, said that employees who are registered voters in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies are entitled to a paid holiday on October 6, the polling day, even if they work in other districts. The benefit also covers daily-wage and contract workers employed in commercial and industrial establishments outside the constituencies
