Tamil Nadu civic polls: First phase ends
October 17th, 2011 - 9:47 pm ICT by IANSChennai, Oct 17 (IANS) The first phase of the two-phased civic bodies’ polls came to an end in Tamil Nadu Monday evening with an over 65 percent voter turnout, an official said.
According to Tamil Nadu State Election Commisison (SEC) officials, the polling percentage is expected to be around 65-68 percent.
Polling was largely peaceful, except for some sporadic incidents of violence and booth capturing, allegedly by ruling AIADMK cadres.
The second phase of the civic polls will be held Oct 19.
Counting of votes takes place Friday.
Elections were held Monday to select mayors for 10 municipal corporations, chairpersons for 60 municipalities and presidents for 259 town panchayats and 191 village panchayats.
Complaints of missing names in the electoral list, malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVM) and non-installation of web camera in Chennai were made by voters and opposition parties.
AIADMK, DMK and DMDK cadres were attacked by rival partymen in the city and the injured were admitted to government hospitals.
In a statement, DMDK founder A. Vijayakant said the party’s candidate M. Velmurugan and his brothers were attacked in Chennai by AIADMK men and were admitted to hospital.
He charged the State Election Commission (SEC) with having failed to provide security for the voters and candidates.
The DMK charged the AIADMK-led Tamil Nadu government of not complying with the Madras High Court directive on installation of web cameras in polling booths.
Former deputy chief minister M.K. Stalin told reporters that the court had directed the SEC to install web cameras in all the polling booths in the city.
“Web cameras are not installed in around 80-85 percent of the booths and the polling process is not videographed,” he said.
Stalin said party lawyers Monday lodged a complaint with the chief justice and city police commissioner on the violation.
He said the DMK would seek repoll in all the polling stations without a web camera.
Former union minister and PMK’s mayoral candidate for Chennai, in a complaint to the chief justice Monday, said the SEC has completely disregarded rules to help the ruling party cadre to indulge in corrupt practices in polling booths.
Former chief minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi alleged that the SEC was biased in favour of the AIADMK.
Around 4.63 crore people are eligible to vote in the two-phased local body polls Monday and Wednesday.
- Norms being flouted in Tamil Nadu civic polls: DMK - Oct 17, 2011
- Tamil Nadu civic polls: Second phase ends - Oct 20, 2011
- Jayalalithaa confident of AIADMK victory in civic polls - Oct 17, 2011
- AIADMK sweeps Tamil Nadu civic polls - Oct 22, 2011
- Polling under way in Tamil Nadu (Lead) - Apr 13, 2011
- Polling begins for Tamil Nadu assembly by-poll - Mar 18, 2012
- Stage set for Tamil Nadu assembly by-poll Sunday - Mar 17, 2012
- Brisk polling in Tamil Nadu bypoll (Lead) - Mar 18, 2012
- Around 75 percent voting in Tamil Nadu assembly by-poll (Second Lead) - Mar 18, 2012
- Campaigning ends for Tamil Nadu assembly by-polls - Dec 17, 2009
- Dravidian land all set for battle for power (Curtain Raiser) - Apr 11, 2011
- Millions vote in Tamil Nadu -- amid bribery charges (Second Intro Roundup) - Apr 14, 2011
- 80 percent turnout in Tamil Nadu by-polls (Lead) - Dec 20, 2009
- Millions vote in Tamil Nadu -- amid corruption shadow (Roundup) - Apr 13, 2011
- Millions vote in Tamil Nadu -- amid bribery charges (Intro Roundup) - Apr 13, 2011
Tags: aiadmk, civic bodies, civic polls, court directive, deputy chief minister, dmk, electoral list, electronic voting machines, government hospitals, madras high court, municipal corporations, opposition parties, party lawyers, phase ends, polling booths, sec officials, sporadic incidents, state election commission, village panchayats, web cameras