Voting in RK Nagar bypoll concludes amid tight security, 77 percent turnout recorded
Voting for the bypoll in RK Nagar Assembly constituency, which fell vacant after the death of J Jayalalithaa, saw 77 percent turnout
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Voting for the high stakes bypoll in Chennai's RK Nagar Assembly constituency, which fell vacant after the death of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, saw 77 percent turnout. PTI
Polling began amid tight security, with key contenders being AIADMK's E Madhusudanan, the main Opposition DMK's Marudhu Ganesh and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran. RK Nagar has an electorate of 2,28,234 voters, comprising 1,10,903 men, 1,17,232 women and 99 transgenders. PTI
The polling process was monitored by nine observers, considered the highest for a single Assembly constituency. This included general, special, police and expenditure officials. PTI
Elaborate security arrangements were in place with about 2,000 state police personnel, 15 companies of Central Armed Police Forces, including CRPF deployed across 256 polling stations. Ayswarya Murthy/101reporters
As polling was underway, cases of missing names emerged from RK Nagar. Though the polling was largely peaceful, petty fights broke out among voters at Chennai High School on Tiruvottiyur High Road after the long wait in queues. Ayswarya Murthy/101reporters
Ninety-six flying squad teams, 21 static surveillance teams and 20 video surveillance teams were deployed by election authorities. A total of 45 check points in and around the constituency were also manned by poll officials. Ayswarya Murthy/101reporters
The run-up to the poll saw political parties and candidates holding as many as 152 public meetings and taking out 605 processions. A total of 124 FIRs was filed for election violations/offences. Ayswarya Murthy/101reporters
Counting of votes will be taken up on 24 December and the results are expected to be out by afternoon that day. PTI