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Tamil Nadu Elections 2021 Live News: ‘Gifts’ for voters continue to pour in
Polling in 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday went off peacefully barring minor scuffles among cadres and glitches in electronic voting machines in some parts of the state. The state recorded 71.79% voter turnout at the end of 12-hour polling amid the Covid pandemic. Kallakurichi district topped the list with a voter turnout of 78%, followed by Namakkal (77.91%) and Ariyalur (77.88%). Chennai trailed with 59.4% turnout. Polling in Puducherry Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam was peaceful by and large barring a few stray incidents. The territory reported 81.64% polling which is less than the 84.08% polled in 2016 and 86.19% polling in 2011. Stay with TOI for all the latest updates:Read Less
No FIR against men who carried EVMs unlawfully
The Velachery police have not registered a First Information Report (FIR) even after 24 hours have passed since four men were caught carrying Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPAT machines in two vehicles. (IANS)
‘Gifts’ for voters continue to pour in
The day after polling, as some leaders and cadres took a break, it was time for voters who received ‘bribes’ in lieu of votes to take stock. They received gold coins, TV sets, grocery and meat while one party even offered to pay a loan instalment. It was clear that many were only too happy to make the most of the generosity of the politicians. R Brinda from Karur was upset over the low quality of anklets given by a party on election day. She told TOI that substandard silver was used to make them and she felt cheated. While anklets were distributed to woo women voters, another party distributed tokens for gold coins. Many of the voters were busy claiming their ‘gift’ using the token on Wednesday. Some of the voters were even upset over the delay in getting the tokens exchanged.
No FIR yet on Velachery EVM fiasco; no call on repoll either
A full 24 hours after four unauthorised men were caught while carrying Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPAT machines on two-wheelers, Velachery police did not register any FIR and sought to dismiss it as ‘procedural violation’.
READ MORE HERERemarks on Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj: Udhayanidhi calls BJP’s accusation 'false and incorrect'
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday responded to a notice issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), dubbing the allegation as "false and incorrect".
READ MOREDMK youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin on Wednesday denied he had breached the Model Code of Conduct during the poll campaign for the just concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections by making some remarks about late BJP leaders Sushma Sawaraj and Arun Jaitley. (PTI)
A case of violation of model code of conduct has been registered against Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration Minister S P Velumani, police said on Wednesday. The Minister allegedly took his car with an AIADMK party flag near a polling booth on Tuesday, the polling day in the state, which was the violation, the police said. (PTI)
Namakkal and Salem recorded 79.72% and 79.22% polling respectively: EC
North Chennai biryani shops make a killing
A majority of eateries and restaurants in the city downed their shutters during polling hours on Tuesday for fear that customers won't turn up. This affected individuals who completely depend on eateries.
Read moreTamil Nadu assembly elections 2021: Most polling booths remain inaccessible for disabled
Differently abled voters had a difficult time on Tuesday as several booths had no provision for wheelchairs, Braille sheets or trained volunteers.
Read moreChennai recorded the least polling in the state with 59.06% voter turnout.
Tamil Nadu assembly election: This constituency has recorded highest voter turnout
Tamil Nadu recorded 72.78% voter turnout in assembly election, chief electoral officer Satyabrata Sahoo said on Wednesday. Palacode assembly constituency in Dharmapuri district, where higher education minister K P Anbalagan in the fray, saw the highest voter turnout in the state with 87.33% polling. It is followed by Kulithalai (86.15%) and Edappadi (85.6%) segments. Edappadi is the home turf of chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Strong rooms at counting centres will be sealed after depositing the EVMs in Madurai and other districts in the south region.
According to district-wise "close of poll" data released by the EC, Karur recorded the highest of 83.92 percent while Chennai saw the lowest turnout of 59.06 per cent.
Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2021: They stepped out to vote, did it with smile
For those couch potatoes who didn’t cast their votes, 105-year-old Marappa Gounder and 95-year-old K Pappamal show there can be no excuse to not vote.
Read moreTamil Nadu records 72.78% voter turnout: Chief electoral officer Satyabrata Sahoo
Tamil Nadu assembly elections: Poor show at urban centres brings down voter turnout
Urban centres pulled down voter turnout in the Tamil Nadu assembly election held on Tuesday. The overall provisional state average turnout was 71.79% as per the latest figures from the EC. It could be revised slightly upwards by Wednesday morning, once all assembly-wise figures are available, EC officials said.
Read moreDistrict-wise voter turnout chart
Political bigwigs, celebrities vote early, show the way
Voters in most parts of the state, however, said they had to wait very little time at the polling booths as the commission had set up one polling booth for every 1,000 voters.
Almost all urban and semiurban regions have recorded low polling. Chengelpet district, which covers many outlying areas of Chennai city, recorded the second lowest turnout of 62.77%, followed by Tirunelveli 65.16%, Coimbatore 66.98%, Ramanathapuram 67.16% and Tirupur 67.48%.
