Polling begins for TN, Kerala and Puducherry Assembly Elections, Voting also underway for 3rd phase of Assembly polls in West Bengal, Assam

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Polling has begun for assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. Voting is also underway for the third phase of assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal. While single-phase polling is being held in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, its third and final phase in Assam today.

Voting is also underway for by-polls to Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha seat in Tamil Nadu and Malappuram Parliamentary constituency in Kerala. The voting began at 7 this morning in all poll-bound states. Voting will continue till 6 PM in Assam, 6.30 PM in West Bengal, and till 7 PM in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

In Kerala, over 20.20 percent voter turnout has been reported till 10 am. 22.48 percent male voters, 18.06 percent female voters and 4.49 percent transgender voters cast their ballots till now. Voting is peacefully underway in 140 assembly constituencies and Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, former Cheif Minister Oommen Chandy, BJP State President K. Surendran and E. Sreedharan are among the prominent leaders who exercised their franchise in the initial hours. Long queues were seen outside the polling stations and a higher turnout is expected in the state.

Voting began at 7am in the morning and it will continue till 7 pm in 131 constituencies and it will end at 6 pm in nine Naxal affected constituencies. Over 2.74 crore voters will cast their votes in 40,771 polling booths across the State. 957 candidates are contesting the assembly polls and six in the Loksabha bypoll.

Elections are being conducted in strict adherence to Covid-19 and green protocols. Covid patients and quarantined voters will be permitted in the final hour of polling. Elaborate security arrangements are in place all over the state. Webcasting and CCTV facility is being provided in most of the polling booths to prevent bogus and double voting.

In Tamil Nadu, 3,998 candidates including 411 women and two Third Gender persons are vying for the 234 Assembly seats spread over 37 districts. The state is likely to witness multi-cornered contests this time. There are two major alliances – the ruling AIADMK-BJP alliance and the coalition of the DMK and Congress.

In addition, actor-politician Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and the newly-forged alliance between TTV Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) and Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are also trying to make big inroads into the state politics. AIR correspondent reports that

The massive democratic exercise in the State takes place today amidst rising summer temperatures and increasing Covid cases. The Assembly elections are held amidst Covid 19 regulations in place. face masks have been made mandatory for all the voters.

All polling booths have been equipped with minimum basic facilities to make the voters exercise their franchise without any hassle. Shamianas have been put up to protect voters from the heat, Safe drinking water, special arrangements for persons with disabilities have also been ensured in polling stations. Poll booths have been given face masks, PPE Kits, hand sanitisers, hand gloves for health safety purposes.

Provision to dispose of used gloves have also been kept in the polling booth. As today is a paid holiday, voters are expected to come in large numbers to exercise their franchise. The election Commission with the message that no one should be left out has also made arrangements to operate over ten thousand buses for the benefit of the voters.

Election Commission has also made an arrangement with UBER to transport the elderly free of cost to cast their vote in Chennai Coimbatore and Tiruchy. Covid positive people can vote from 6 pm to 7 pm today exclusively.. According to political experts, this election expects a decisive participation of a larger number of voters as the State faces a multi-cornered contest in many constituencies.

In Puducherry, 324 candidates including 35 women are vying for 30 seats. Over 10.04 lakh voters including 5.31 lakh women and 116 Third Gender persons will decide the fate of these candidates. Total 1,559 Polling Stations have been set up for this purpose. Naam Tamilar Katchi has fielded 28 candidates and DMDK has 26, AMMK-25, MNM-22, DMK-13 Congress-14 while NR Congress has given tickets to 16, BSP-11 and BJP has put up nine candidates in the fray.