Tamil Nadu, Puducherry by-polls: Counting begins in assemby constituencies

Chennai: Amid tight security, counting of votes for three assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and a lone seat in neighbouring Puduchery that went to polls on 19 November began on Tuesday at designated counting centres. [caption id=“attachment_3118208” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] Postal votes are being taken up first for counting wherever available and it will be soon be followed by counting of EVM votes. While trends are expected to be in place in about an hour, the results will be out later in the day. In Aravakurichi, the counting of votes is being held at M Kumarasamy College of Engineering, Karur. In Thanjavur, the counting is on at Kundavai Nachiaar Government Arts College for Women. For Thirupparankundram Assembly segment, the counting of votes is on at Madurai Medical College premises. Rangasamy (AIADMK) and DMK’s Anjugam Bhoopathy are the main contenders in Thanjavur. AIADMK’s AK Bose is pitted against DMK’s Saravanan in Thirupparankundram while in Aravakkurichi, Senthil Balaji (AIADMK) and KC Palanisamy (DMK) are the main candidates. Polls have been held to the three constituencies at a time when AIADMK supremo and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is recuperating in a hospital in Chennai, and her trusted lieutenant and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam led the campaign for the ruling party. While Aravakkurichi Assembly segment will have 18 rounds of counting, Thanjavur and Thirupparankundram are set to witness 20 and 21 rounds of counting respectively. In the Union Territory of Puducherry, votes are being counted at Bharatidasan Government College for Women where Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, a non-member of the House, is taking on AIADMK candidate Om Sakthi Segar in Nellithope constituency. In Puducherry, the counting is set to be over in three rounds. Each counting table has one Micro Observer, usually a Central government official apart from other staffers involved in counting. EC had said that to ensure transparency in the counting process, copy of result of each table would be given to every counting agent by the Counting Supervisor. In Tamil Nadu, votes are being counted across 14 tables for a given constituency spread in one hall and the entire counting process is being videographed.