Puducherry: Voting is being monitored live at all polling stations in Thattanchavady, where the by-election is being held.
In the recently concluded Assembly election in Puducherry, Chief Minister Rangasamy, who contested and won in two constituencies, Mangalam and Thattanchavady, resigned from the Thattanchavady constituency. Following this, the Election Commission officially released the by-election schedule on the 7th of last month. Accordingly, the by-election began today (Oct. 6) at 7 a.m.
In the Thattanchavady constituency, 11 candidates are contesting in total, with 6 representing political parties and 5 independents. The contest is mainly between N.R. Congress candidate Ashok Anand, Congress candidate Vinayagam, DMK candidate Sethuselvam, and Communist Party of India candidate A.M. Saleem.
The constituency has a total of 26,921 voters. This includes 12,575 men, 14,341 women, and 5 third-gender voters. It also includes 350 differently-abled voters and 3 overseas voters.
As many as 148 government employees have been deployed for polling duties.
23 micro-observers have been appointed to monitor the polling stations. In order to ensure that voting proceeds peacefully, all liquor shops in the Tattanchavadi constituency have been ordered to remain closed for two days.
Basic facilities, including drinking water, toilets, ramps, and electricity, have been provided at all polling stations. Shade shelters have been set up so that voters do not have to stand in the sun. Arrangements have also been made to provide ORS solution to protect against the effects of the heat.
Voting concludes at 6 p.m. In all 31 polling stations in Tattanchavadi, 1,330 personnel, along with armed paramilitary forces and police, have been deployed for security duty.
Of the total 31 polling stations here, the booths at Koundampalayam Muthu Rathinam Arangam Higher Secondary School and Vinobha Nagar Poiyakulam Community Hall were identified as sensitive. Therefore, additional security has been deployed here.
Regarding the by-election, District Election Officer Kulothungan said, “At all polling stations in the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency, two surveillance cameras have been installed at each station, and voting is being monitored live.
Complaints related to voting can be reported by the public to the online live monitoring control room at 0413-2299558 and to the Deputy Election Officer at 9443375089. We will take immediate action,” he said.
Puducherry Chief Minister performs special puja at the Alukku Sami (Alukku Siddhar) temple
Chief Minister Rangasamy’s special puja:
Chief Minister Rangasamy took part in a special puja at Vettakaran Pudhur to win the by-election.
In Puducherry, Rangasamy, who became Chief Minister after contesting and winning in two constituencies in the general election, resigned from the Thattanchavady constituency. The by-election there is being held today.
The Chief Minister is devoted to the worship of siddhars. His spiritual guru was Appa Paithiyam Sami’s guru, Alukkusami (Alukku Siddhar). It is Rangasamy’s custom to visit these siddhars and offer special prayers whenever he is engaged in an important task.
Accordingly, with the Thattanchavadi by-election set to take place today, he visited the Alukku Sami (Alukku Siddhar) temple in Vettaikkaranpudur near Pollachi and, along with puja items, placed the details of the N.R. Congress candidate and prayed for victory in the election. He also took part in special prayers, sources from the Chief Minister’s side said.