Polling in Thanjavur Parliamentary constituency and Thanjavur Assembly segment passed off peacefully barring a few hiccups in the initial hours of polling and a few hundred voters threatening to boycott the elections but subsequently taking part in the democratic exercise.
Inquiries showed that malfunctioning of EVMs were reported at 30 booths at North Gate, South Street, E.B.Colony, Yagappa Nagar and Pookara Street in Thanjavur town under Thanjavur Parliamentary constituency and in other Assembly segments.
Meanwhile, around 300 voters residing in Moopatheru in Vallaam area announced that they would boycott the elections in protest against lack of basic amenities in their area and did not visit the Munnaiyampatti polling booth where they had to exercise their franchise till afternoon. They also staged road roko on Thanjavur-Tiruchi Road and withdrew their protest following police intervention.
They exercised their franchise in the afternoon after Revenue officials assured them that their grievances would be looked into as early as possible.
Similarly, around 400 voters in Allur village panchayat near Thiruvaiyaru, who usually voted in a polling booth in their village, were asked to go to a booth near Arasakudi located 3 km away from their village.
Protesting the move, they announced that they would boycott the elections not only this time but in future also. On hearing about the boycott call, Revenue officials rushed to the village and assured them that their names would be included in the polling booth in their own village or an alternative arrangement would be put in place in the next elections.
The voters then exercised their franchise at the new polling booth allotted to them, sources said.