The Hindu : Front Page : High turnout in Tamil Nadu

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Thursday, May 14, 2009
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High turnout in Tamil Nadu

R.K. Radhakrishnan

Naresh Gupta puts the provisional polling statistics at “67-68 per cent”

Murder in Dindigul not a poll-related incident
Scrutiny of Register of Voters on Friday

— Photo: V. Ganesan

SERPENTINE QUEUES: Residents of Vyasarpadi wait patiently for their turn at a polling booth at Don Bosco Higher Secondary School in Chennai on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: Polling in Tamil Nadu was high and peaceful with Madurai recording over 75 per cent and at least half a dozen other constituencies closing in on the 70-per cent mark.

Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta put the provisional polling statistics at “67-68 per cent.”

In 2004, when the DMK-led alliance swept the polls, the poll percentage was 60.81 per cent.

One person was killed in Dindigul district but this had nothing to do with the polling process. Police attributed it to previous enmity.

Poll boycott

According to reports reaching Chennai, there were as many as 29 instances of villages/hamlets resorting to a poll boycott demanding better basic amenities.

Some instances of EVMs malfunctioning were reported from across the State. These were attended to immediately, Mr. Gupta said.

There was some anxiety over commencement of polls in Arakkonam because of a delay in allotment of authority letter to polling personnel on Wednesday. But after the CEO intervened, the process began on time.

The lowest percentage of 54 per cent was recorded at Tiruvallur, followed by Chennai Central at 58 per cent. Karur and Tirupur recorded over 71 per cent, while Kancheepuram, Sivaganga, Krishnagiri and Tirunelveli all recorded 65 per cent or more.

Mr. Gupta said the statistics were provisional and would be revised once the figures from all the booths reached the central office. The Nilgiris and Kanyakumari recorded 63 per cent each.

Names missing

There were many complaints of names missing in the Electoral Rolls. But Election officials said that they had given enough warnings to people on the matter. Besides, the rolls were available online.

If people did not have a few minutes to check a few months ahead of the poll, there was nothing the Commission could do at the last moment.

Section 49 (O)

There were also instances of polling officials being unaware of section 49 (O), which allows a candidate not to vote for any candidate.

“There is no separate form for this. This has to be merely recorded in the Register of Voters. I do not know if this was not communicated well to the polling officers,” said Mr. Gupta.

Charges of rigging

On the charges of rigging alleged by the opposition parties in the State, Mr. Gupta said that a thorough scrutiny of the Register of Voters would be done at 11 a.m. on Friday in booths from where there have been complaints.

Only after that would it be possible to say if there was any problem, he said.

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