Chennai, Apr 23: Voting for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election commenced at 7 AM on Thursday amidst tight security with people briskly lining up in front of the polling stations across the state.
The DMK, which heads the Secular Progressive Alliance, is seeking to retain power, and is leading a multi-party coalition that includes Congress, Left parties and the VCK. The AIADMK, heading the National Democratic Alliance, on the other hand, is pushing for a return to power with allies BJP, AMMK and PMK, among others, in tow.
Actor Vijay-led TVK is attempting to break the decades long tradition of DMK and AIADMK alternatively ruling the state and form its government.
On Thursday AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami, veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram, former Telangana governor and BJP candidate Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan and NTK top leader Seeman were among the early voters and they cast their votes in Salem, Sivaganga and Chennai respectively.
Union Minister L Murugan stood in a serpentine queue and cast his vote in Chennai. Similarly, BJP leader Kushbhu alongwith her filmmaker husband Sundar C voted in the city. Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik voted at Virugambakkam which falls under Maduravoyal Assembly constituency.
Tamil Nadu’s electorate is 5.73 crore strong and they will vote in as many as 75,064 polling stations in 33,133 locations to decide the fortunes of 4,023 candidates.
The total electorate comprises 2.93 women, 2.83 crore men, and 7,728 third-gender persons.
The TN Assembly is 234-member strong.
The Election Commission has deployed 1,06,418 ballot units along with 75,064 control units and VVPAT machines.
To prevent any technical delays, a reserve of 20 per cent for EVMs and 30 per cent for VVPATs is being maintained, according to officials. To ensure peaceful polling, 300 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed, alongside 83,875 state police personnel.
Tamil Nadu has 14,59,039 first-time voters and 3,98,513 electors aged 85 and above and many of them had already utilised the home voting facility. Over 3.60 lakh government staff are on polling duty.
For ease of voting, election authorities have said that amenities including drinking water, toilets, help desk, ramps with proper gradient and volunteer and wheelchair facility has been provided.
Officials strictly enforced the ban against taking cellphones and smartwatches inside the polling room.
