Tamil Nadu by-polls : Madurantakam records 70.31% turnout as polling nears close

Voter turnout in the Madurantakam Assembly by-election touched 70.31 per cent by around 5 pm on Tuesday, October 6, as polling moved into its final stretch, election officials said. Minor technical glitches were reported in EVMs at two polling stations but did not disrupt voting.

Turnout rose steadily through the day in both Madurantakam and the neighbouring Dharapuram constituency, which is also going to the polls. At 9 am, turnout stood at 15.99 per cent in Madurantakam and 17.55 per cent in Dharapuram. By 1 pm, both had crossed the halfway mark, with Madurantakam at 55.19 per cent and Dharapuram at 56.09 per cent.

Voting began at 7 am and continues until 6 pm across 285 polling stations in Madurantakam and 320 in Dharapuram, 605 in total. Madurantakam, in Chengalpattu district, has 2,12,639 registered electors, including 1,04,926 men, 1,08,797 women and 65 transgender voters. Dharapuram, in Tiruppur district, has 2,23,306 electors, comprising 1,07,285 men, 1,16,013 women and eight transgender voters.

Both seats, reserved for Scheduled Castes, fell vacant after sitting AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel (Madurantakam) and P. Sathyabama (Dharapuram) resigned and joined the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Both are recontesting as TVK candidates in what is being seen as the first major electoral test for Chief Minister Vijay's TVK government since it emerged as the single-largest party in this year's Assembly election. Twenty-seven candidates are in the fray in Madurantakam and 22 in Dharapuram.

Counting of votes for both constituencies, along with Puducherry's Thattanchavady seat, is scheduled for October 9.