Tamil Nadu records 71.79% in Assembly election, slightly less than the 73.76% of 2016 election. Meanwhile, the neighbouring Puduchery, recorded 76.03% voter turn out. Sporadic, poll-related minor incidents were, however, reported from a couple of places though there were no major untoward incidents.

Till 5 p.m., the polling was 63.60 per cent, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters. Namakkal saw the highest of 70.79 per cent and Tirunelveli the lowest with 50.05 per cent.

The ruling AIADMK filed a petition with the CEO against Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK candidate from Chepauk-Triplicane segment here for allegedly wearing a party insignia that also encompassed party symbol ‘rising sun’ while voting. The AIADMK sought Udhayanidhi’s ‘disqualification.’

AIADMK Lok Sabha MP P Ravindhranath alleged he and his supporters were allegedly attacked by DMK men. Pointing to the damaged windscreen and window of his car, he alleged it was an attempt aimed at a ‘murderous assault’, adding ‘huge stones’ were used for the attack.

DMK’s Thondamuthur constituency nominee in Coimbatore district, Karthikeya Sivesenapathy alleged ruling AIADMK and BJP people tried to attack when he was travelling in a car.

In Salem district, a scuffle broke out in a polling station between a man who was wearing a ‘PMK’ party towel and a voter who objected to it and police intervened to disperse them. At Kodangipatti in Ramanathapuram district, no voter reportedly turned up in polling station till evening as the locals announced ‘boycott’ of polls protesting against non-availability of basic amenities.

Even before polling began at 7 a.m., people could be seen eagerly queuing up before the polling stations and voter information slips were distributed to the people to help them identify their booths.

As soon as people arrived at polling stations, they were provided sanitisers to clean their hands and then given a disposable glove. Some people who arrived without masks were asked to wear one to be allowed to vote.

Meanwhile, Thoothukudi MP and DMK women’s wing president Kanimozhi, who is currently undergoing treatment for Covid-19, reached her polling booth in Mylapore and voted while wearing a Personal Protective Equipment.

Chief minister Palaniswami cast his vote in his native Salem district and urged all people to cast their vote. Speaker P Dhanapal voted in Salem, Panneerselvam in Theni district and ministers including SP Velumani and Sellur K Raju in Coimbatore and Madurai, respectively.

DMK president Stalin, after paying homage at the mausoleum of his party patriarch M Karunanidhi and party founder CN Annadurai, cast his vote here. Congress leader P Chidambaram and a slew of actors including Surya, Karthi and Sivakarthikeyan were among those who voted.

Meanwhile, actor Vijay came cycling on a red and black coloured bicycle to cast his vote at a polling booth located in Neelankarai, Chennai. As soon as the photos became viral, many theories and speculations came up, some suggests that Vijay came on a bicycle to protest against the surge in petrol and diesel prices.

~With inputs from PTI~