Chennai, May 2:
Tamil Nadu is set for vote counting on May 4, with tight security arrangements across all counting centres as the state awaits a crucial electoral verdict involving a multi-cornered political contest featuring the DMK, AIADMK, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by Vijay, and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) led by Seeman.
The election campaign saw a sharp triangular-plus contest, with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam banking on governance and welfare schemes, while the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam focused on anti-incumbency and organisational revival under its leadership.
The emergence of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, led by actor-turned-politician Vijay, added a new dimension to the race, drawing significant youth attention across urban constituencies.
Meanwhile, Naam Tamilar Katchi, led by Seeman, continued its independent ideological push, contesting across multiple seats.
Exit polls released after voting have indicated a closely fought battle between DMK and AIADMK in several regions, while suggesting that TVK may influence margins in a number of urban and semi-urban constituencies. NTK, though not projected to win a large number of seats, is expected to impact vote splits in select constituencies, potentially altering outcomes in tight contests. However, final results remain uncertain until counting begins.
Security arrangements have been tightened across the state, with multi-tier deployment of police, central armed forces, and CCTV surveillance at all counting centres. Strong rooms housing Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been secured under round-the-clock monitoring, with webcasting enabled at counting tables to ensure transparency.
Entry to counting halls is strictly regulated, and Section 144-like restrictions have been imposed in sensitive areas to prevent crowding.
District administrations have also completed final rehearsals, including counting table arrangements, observer allocation, and media facilitation zones.
Special traffic regulation plans are in place around key centres such as Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem, and Tiruchirappalli to manage expected crowds of party workers and media personnel.
In a significant move to tighten security at vote counting centres, the Election Commission of India has introduced a QR code–based Photo Identity Card (PIC) system to prevent unauthorised access during the counting process.