9.50 lakh voters to decide fate of 294 candidates in Pondy: CEO

Around 9.50 lakh voters will decide the electoral fate of 294 candidates in the Assembly elections in Puducherry on April 9 and all arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of polls, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) P Jawahar said here on Wednesday.

The polling will begin at 7 am in Puducherry and its enclaves of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, which together have 30 Assembly seats.

The union territory has 1,099 polling stations and of them 209 have been identified as vulnerable, Jawahar told the media here.

Thirty polling stations would be managed exclusively by women staff and 15 booths would be operated by young officers. Two polling stations would be operated by persons with disabilities, he added.

The union territory has as many as 24,919 new voters, he said.

The CEO said senior citizens and differently-abled voters would be assisted by volunteers at the booths to reach the polling stations to cast their votes and also for their safe return to their homes. Wheelchairs will be available. The election authorities have engaged 2,200 young voters to take care of them, he said.

Jawahar said that deployment of drones for monitoring purposes had been of help to track persons indulging in activities that tarnished fair poll. He said cash and liquor were seized after drone surveillance was conducted. A total of Rs 77.25 lakh was seized at various points and liquor worth Rs 68.50 lakh was also seized.

Seventeen cases were booked for alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct during the past few weeks. As many as 24 persons were booked for allegedly distributing cash to lure the voters, he said.

Besides major political parties, newly floated parties are also in the fray.

The NDA comprising AINRC, BJP, AIADMK and LJK faces a challenge from the INDIA bloc comprising the Congress, DMK and the VCK.

While the NDA is fighting to retain its ‘double engine’ governance, the Opposition bloc is making a push to regain power in the union territory, focusing on issues of local autonomy and administrative friction.

Actor Vijay’s newly formed TVK has emerged as a significant third force fielding candidates across the union territory.

In addition to the two major alliances, candidates of the CPI, CPI(M), Naam Tamizhar Katchi and a few other outfits are also contesting.

Among the political bigwigs in the fray is AINRC leader and Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who is contesting from Thattanchavady and Mangalam segments.