Chennai: An estimated 74 per cent of the 41.93 lakh electorate have cast their ballots, as the first phase polling to rural local bodies in nine newly carved districts of Tamilnadu, passed off peacefully, Wednesday evening.
State Election Commission officials said barring some minor arguments between the cadres of the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK in some booths, no untoward incident was reported in any part of the nine districts, and the polling process passed off peacefully.
Polling was held in Chengalpattu, Kallakurichi, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Tirupattur, Vellore and Villupuram districts.
The polling, which began at 7 am, saw a low turn out with only a mere 7.7 per cent registered in the first two hours. However, as the day progressed it picked up momentum in the afternoon and brisk polling was reported as
people turned out in large numbers.
About 52.40 per cent voters have exercised their franchise till 3.00 pm and the percentage is expected to cross the 60-65 per cent mark, officials said.
The final polling percentage was expected only late in the evening after collecting details from the more than 7,900 polling booths in nine districts.
Though polling ended at 6.00 pm and the gates were closed, all those who were standing in the queue inside the polling booths, were issued tokens and will be allowed to exercise their democratic right.
After the polling was completed, the ballot boxes were sealed and taken to strong rooms, where armed security personnel were deployed on security duty. A total of 27,003 posts are to be filled â 140 district panchayat ward members, 1,381 panchayat union ward members for 74 panchayat unions and 22,581 village panchayat ward members posts in 2,901 village panchayat presidents.
Of the total strength of 27,003 posts, 2,981 candidates were declared elected unopposed and 79,433 candidates are in the fray in the elections.
In the first phase, polling was held for 78 district district panchayat ward member posts, 755 panchayat union ward member posts, 1,577 village panchayat president posts and 12,252 village panchayat ward member posts. The second phase of elections will be held on 9 October.