Madurantakam, Dharapuram go to polls for second time in six months

Madurantakam (SC)and Dharapuram (SC) Assembly Constituencies will go to polls for the second time in six months on Tuesday.

Over 2.13 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in Madurantakam (SC) constituency. Out of the 2.13 lakh electors, 1.08 lakhs are women. The bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of AIADMK MLA Maragatham Kumaravel, who is now contesting as the TVK candidate. The DMK has put up its former Egmore MLA I. Paranthamen, while the AIADMK has brought back S. Kanitha Sampath, who had won the seat in 2011. The CPI(M), although extending outside support to the TVK-led government, is contesting independently and has put up P. Suganthi of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front.

Chengalpattu Collector M. Veerappan said polling materials and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been dispatched to all 285 polling stations on Monday. A mock poll would be held at 5.30 a.m. on Tuesday before polling begins at 7 a.m. Sixty polling stations have been identified as vulnerable. There would be a micro-observer deputed by the Election Commission (EC) in each of the polling stations. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel have been stationed at 60 locations in the constituency, Dr. Veerappan added.

Till Monday, polling officials seized cash, precious metals such as gold, freebies such as saris and towels, and liquor bottles, worth ₹2.53 crore in total. All 167 polling locations will have wheelchair facility for persons with disabilities, the Collector said. Besides, pandals have been set up at polling locations for shade, and drinking water facilities have been made available. Each polling station will have live web streaming through two cameras, one inside the station, and another outside facing the queue. Out of 931 postal ballots dispatched to persons with disabilities and those aged above 80, 893 have been received.

Elaborate arrangements have been made for the byelection in the Dharapuram (SC) constituency, with 320 polling stations set up at 186 centres. Polling will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The constituency has 2,23,306 voters — 1,07,285 men, 1,16,013 women, and 27 service voters. Voter information slips have been distributed to 2,21,365 voters, accounting for 99.13% of the electorate. Of the 1,236 applications received from voters aged above 85 and persons with more than 40% disability for home voting, 1,201 have exercised their franchise through postal ballots. A total of 1,536 polling personnel have been deployed.

Security and surveillance have been intensified for the bypoll. General, Expenditure, and Police Observers have also been deployed by the Election Commission. The constituency has 18 vulnerable polling stations spread across nine locations. CCTV cameras will be used for live monitoring at these stations, with additional Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel deployment and micro-observers to oversee polling. The 384 EVMs being used for the election have been prepared with the symbols and photographs of the contesting candidates.

Officials said non-voters from outside the constituency, who had come to campaign for candidates, were required to leave the constituency by 6 p.m. on Sunday, when campaigning ended. The police have been checking hotels, marriage halls, and other accommodations, while checkposts have been set up on the constituency’s borders.

After polling, the EVMs and election records will be moved to the strongroom at the LRG Government Arts and Science College in Tiruppur and will be put under a three-tier security arrangement. Counting will take place at the college on October 9, with 14 tables for EVM counting and two for postal ballots. The counting centre will have three-tier security involving the local police, State Armed Police, and the CISF.

The State government has declared a public holiday in both constituencies on Tuesday on account of the byelection.

An order issued by Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar said employees working in Chengalpattu, Tiruppur, and neighbouring districts, but registered as voters in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, should also be given a paid holiday.