After an early slow start, polling picked up later in the day with around 50 percent votes polled for the urban local body elections in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts as of 3 p.m on Saturday.
Key towns in Vellore like Gudiyatham, Katpadi and Vellore Corporation registered around 50 percent of votes by 3 p.m whereas small towns like Pallikonda, Thiruvalam and Odugathur along Jawadhu Hills near Anaicut block have recorded over 65 percent of total votes polled in the district.
Defunct EVM causes tense moments
In the Vellore Corporation limits, the EVM in a polling booth (booth no: 90; Ward no: 18) at the Government Higher Secondary School in Sathuvachari (Zone - 2) became defunct at around 3 p.m resulting in argument between major political parties such as DMK and AIADMK due to the delay in the replacement of the defunct EVM with a reserved machine. As tension prevailed with voters waiting to cast their votes, a police striking force was deployed at the polling booth. Vellore Superintendent of Police, S. Rajesh Kannan, inspected the polling booth in Sathuvachari and ordered the police to disperse the representatives of political parties who were arguing with each other.
Neighbouring Tiruvannamalai district that witnessed elections for 14 urban local bodies within its limits, around 50 percent votes were polled in major towns like Tiruvannamalai, Arani and Vandavasi. On the other hand, small towns like Chengam, Chetpet, Polur, Kilpennathur and Cheyyar registered over 70 percent votes by 3 p.m.
The newly-created Ranipet and Tirupattur also recorded 54.53 percent and 49.21 percent respectively with voters from smaller towns polled in higher numbers than big towns like Walajah, Arcot and Ranipet and Ambur, Vaniyambadi and Tirupattur towns.
A total of 16.29 lakh voters will decide the fate of 3,898 candidates, who were contesting for 905 wards in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts.
District election officers and SPs in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet and Tirupattur were on the rounds visiting vulnerable polling booths (404 booths). A total of 4,969 police personnel including women constables were deployed to ensure peaceful polling. A total of 586 wheelchairs were arranged for voters with disabilities in these four districts. Persons with disabilities, senior citizens, pregnant women and feeding mothers were allowed to cast their votes without making them wait in the queue in the polling booths in these districts.
Minister Duraumurugan casts vote
Among prominent personalities in these districts who cast their votes early in the day include the State Water Resources Minister, Duraimurugan, and VIT Founder and Chairman, K. Vishwanathan.
Mr. Duraimurugan voted in a polling booth near his house in Katpadi whereas Mr. Vishwanathan voted at a polling booth in Kosapet in Vellore town.
Mr. Duraimurugan voted in a polling booth near his house in Katpadi whereas Mr. Vishwanathan voted at a polling booth in Kosapet in Vellore town.
