Announcement of extending polls in Madurai irks voters

MADURAI: The announcement of Election Commission extending the poll hours till 8 pm on April 18 received a mixed response from the Madurai voters.

On Monday, the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo announced that the polling will be extended by an additional two hours after demands were raised from various quarters to defer the elections to another date in the view of Chithirai festival where lakhs of people converge into the city on April 18 for the car fest of Meenakshi Amman and Kallazhagar festival. 

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The announcement of CEO Sahoo that polling will be conducted for 13 hours in Madurai constituency has drawn a mixed response from voters and devotees. 

D Surendran, an advocate said that a case was filed in the Madras High Court challenging the decision of the ECI conducting elections without considering chithirai festival will end up in low voter turnout and was pending in the Court for orders. While so, the announcement of the CEO is sub judice when the matter is pending before the Court.

He also said that if the Court considering the ordeal of the voters and orders to change the polling date, obviously, it will be a drawback to the ECI.

S Meenakshi Sundaram, a functionary of Alaya Paathukaapu Kulu said that extending the polling to two hours will further create chaos in the city. On the Eve of April 18, Kallazhagar Ethir Sevai will be held in the City and lakhs of people will throng to the City.

Further traffic will be diverted, usually on those days and at present there are several bridge construction works are happening in the important parts of the City, which will cause more confusion on the day.

Commenting on the decision, Senior President of Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry  S Rethinavelu said, "This is not at all the solution to the problem that deeply impacts the polling percentage in the nine districts of South Tamil Nadu. When there is going to be a greater inflow of devotees starting April 17 who are not going to leave Madurai at least until April 19 (entry of Kallazhagar into Vaigai river), the extension of polling hours will not help in any way. 

Chithirai festival is the time when traders and merchants make good business and when tourists inflow to the district is at its peak. If the election is to be held on the same day, shops and commercial establishments ought to remain shut on the polling day and this adversely impacts their businesses, added he. 

Rethinavelu also pointed that with some polling booths situated closer to mandagapadi, how is it possible to control the crowd of devotees during the polling hours, he questioned while pointing security concerns. 

L Devi, a college student, though welcomed the move of extending the poll timing, apprehended that people from nearby districts will come to Madurai on the day and it is not sure whether proper public transportation will be available for them.