Chennai, Apr 6 (UNI) An estimated 65 to 70 per cent of
the total 6.29 crore electorate cast their ballots, as the
single phase polling to elect the 234-member 16th Tamil
Nadu Assembly and the bypoll to Kanyakumari Lok Sabha
seat, passed off peacefully.
The polling, which began at 0700 hrs in more than 88,000
polling booths, ended at 1900 hrs, an extension of one hour
in view of the COVID pandemic.
All those who had entered the polling stations at 1900 hrs
were given tokens and would be allowed to cast their ballots.
Apart from public, COVID infected patients were allowed to
vote in the last one hour by wearing PPE kits and following
the COVID protocols.
DMK MP Ms Kanimozhi, who was undergoing treatment at a
hospital after she tested positive for corona, also exercised
her democratic right.
The electoral fortunes of 3,998 candidates in the Assembly
polls and 12 for the Lok Sabha bypoll were sealed in the
ballot boxes (EVMs).
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Congress
MP H Vasanthakumar. It witnessed a direct fight between
former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan of BJP and Vasantha
Kumar's son Vijay Vasanth of Congress.
The BJP is facing the polls as part of AIADMK alliance and
the Congress as an ally of the Opposition DMK.
After polling, the EVMs were sealed and taken to strong rooms
from.
The counting will take place on May two.
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