The by-election polling for the Puducherry Thattanchavady constituency will be held on Tuesday (Oct. 6) from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. All arrangements for this have been made.
In the Puducherry Legislative Assembly election held last April, Chief Minister N. Rangasamy contested in both the Mangalam and Thattanchavady constituencies and won in both.
He resigned from the Thattanchavady constituency seat. Following this, a by-election was announced for the constituency, and polling will be held on Tuesday (Oct. 6).
In the Thattanchavady constituency, there are a total of 11 candidates in the fray: 6 from political parties and 5 independents. Among them, there is a four-cornered contest between N.R. Congress candidate A. Ashok Anand, DMK candidate Ku. Sethuselvam, Congress candidate I. Vinayagam, and Communist Party of India candidate A.M. Saleem.
There are a total of 26,921 voters in this constituency. The electronic voting machines required for polling were sent to all 31 polling stations on Monday under heavy police protection.
In view of the voting, all schools in this constituency have been given a two-day holiday from Monday. For the 31 polling stations, chief polling officers and polling officers at levels 1, 2, and 3 have been appointed.
Twenty-three micro-observers have been appointed to monitor the polling stations. To reduce the difficulty faced by senior citizens above 85 years of age and persons with disabilities above 40 percent, the facility to vote from home was provided. Accordingly, 67 and 37 voters have cast their votes from home. In addition, a pink polling station, fully managed by women, has been set up at Cluny School.
Out of the total 31 polling stations, 2 have been identified as sensitive. These are the polling stations at Thattanchavadi Koundampalayam Muthurathinam Arangam Higher Secondary School and Vinobhanagar Poiyakulam Community Welfare Hall. Additional police security has been deployed at these polling stations.
Basic facilities: All arrangements have been made to conduct voting from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday. In addition, basic facilities such as 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 heat.
At all polling stations, police personnel, along with armed paramilitary forces, are engaged in security duties. Counting of votes for this constituency will take place on the 9th.
