Tamil Nadu voter turnout rises 9% over 2011 high, crosses 85% in assembly polls

Chennai: Tamil Nadu recorded a very high voter turnout of 85% in the ongoing assembly elections, showing steady participation across the state. This is significantly higher than its record in the 2011 assembly election where the turnout peaked at 78.01% (78.29% including postal ballots).

A total of 4,023 candidates are in the fray for the 234-member assembly which is witnessing a high stakes contest between the ruling DMK-led SPA and its Dravidian rival the AIADMK-led NDA as well as new entrant actor Vijay-led TVK. Polling went off smoothly in the state with some stray incidents reported. The 956 residents of K Eechampadi village in Dharmapuri district boycotted the assembly election to protest what they called the refusal of the authorities to relocate a school to a new building.

On Thursday, the TVK, submitted a petition to the State Election Commission, flagging the lack of transport for voters. Senior party leaders also requested TN chief electoral officer Archana Patnaik to extend the time for polling by two hours.

"We are asking for an extension for two hours (for voting)," TVK general secretary N Anand told reporters on Thursday. "Madam (Archana Patnaik) told me that she will discuss and then take a decision... We are asking for two hours (extension), up to 8 pm. We also wanted to have an inquiry on 3 IAS officers."

TVK's Villivakkam candidate and general secretary of the campaign management, Aadhav Arjuna said he had submitted a complaint against the principal secretary of the TN government, Shunchonngam Jatak Chiru, managing director, Metropolitan Transport Corporation, T Prabhushankar and managing director, State Express Transport Corporation, R Mohan

"In the last 24 hours, you can see there is no proper plan and execution in the TN Transport Department," he said. "Even in the last week, Archana Patnaik gave a circular for arranging proper transport and bus facilities because more than a lakh of people reached Chennai 48 hours before from all over the world."

Arjuna added that this was the first time after 50 years in Tamil Nadu that every Tamil person wanted to cast a vote for democratic purposes.