Tamil Nadu election LIVE: Covid-hit Kanimozhi casts vote; 71% turnout

Tamil Nadu and Puducherry election 2021 LIVE updates: The high-voltage campaign for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry elections concluded with the NDA and DMK-Congress putting an all-out effort to woo the voters

Puducherry and Tamil Nadu election 2021: The high octane campaigning for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry election ended on Sunday. The stage now set for the polling to decide the fate of the political parties in fray.

The assembly election in Tamil Nadu is being held in a single phase today. The polling, which began at 7 am, will close at 6 pm. So far 53 per cent polling has been recorded in Puducherry and nearly 40 per cent in Tamil Nadu. There are over 62.8 million eligible voters who will elect 234 members from the 3,998 candidates contesting the elections. Key candidates include incumbent Chief Minister K Palaniswami from Edappadi Assembly constituency, Deputy CM O Panneerselvam from the Bodinayakkanur constituency, DMK President MK Stalin from the Kolathur constituency, his son Udhayanidhi Stalin from Chepauk-Tiruvalliken constituency, former AIADMK leader and AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran from Kovilpatti assembly constituency, actor-turned politicians and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan from Coimbatore South, Naam Tamizhar Katchi leader Seeman from Thiruvottiyur and BJP state unit chief L Murugan from Dharapuram and BJP’s Khushboo Sundar from Thousands Lights constituency.

The high-voltage campaign for Tamil Nadu assembly elections concluded on Sunday with the NDA and DMK-Congress putting an all-out effort to woo the voters. 

Key parties: AIADMK is part of the NDA, the other constituents being the BJP, PMK and some local outfits. DMK is contesting the polls in alliance with 12 parties including Congress. Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and TTV Dhinakaran’s party Amma Makala Munnetra Kazagam (AMMK) are contesting Tamil Nadu polls in alliance with some regional parties.

Puducherry election 2021: The 15th legislative polls in the UT will decide the fate of 324 candidates across the 30 constituencies today. A total of 1,004,507 electors will exercise their franchise. The counting of votes will take place on May 2. Elections in Puducherry, which is currently under the President's rule, is mainly between the Congress-DMK alliance and the NDA comprising the AIADMK, BJP and the All India NR Congress.

The constituencies that will go into pollsare: Mannadipet, Embalam (SC), Lawspet, Thirubhuvanai (SC), Kalapet, Nettapakkam (SC)Ossudu (SC), Muthialpet Bahour, Mangalam, Raj Bhavan, Nedungadu (SC), Villianur, Oupalam, Thirunallar, Ozhukarai, Orleampeth, Karaikal North, Kadirkamam, Nellithope, Karaikal South, Indira Nagar, Mudaliarpet, Neravy-T.R. Pattinam, Thattanchavady, Ariankuppam, Mahe, Kamaraj Nagar, Manavely, Yanam.

Stay tuned for Puducherry and Tamil Nadu election 2021 LIVE updates

8:46 PM

Tamil Nadu Assembly elections LIVE: 71% voter turnout recorded till 7 pm, according to EC

Tamil Nadu Assembly elections LIVE: 71% voter turnout recorded till 7 pm, according to the initial estimates of Election Commission of India

8:15 PM

Kanimozhi thanks EC for helping her vote despite health conditions

8:12 PM

A Covid patient cast vote at polling station in Karuvadikuppam

6:59 PM

DMK MP Kanimozhi, other Covid-19 affected people in Tamil Nadu vote wearing PPE kit

DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi, who is being treated for Covid-19, on Tuesday voted at a polling station here by wearing the Personal Protective Equipment kit.

 

Also, a number of others being treated for the virus voted here and in other parts of Tamil Nadu.

 

Kanimozhi, also DMK's women's wing secretary, arrived in an ambulance from the hospital where she is being treated for the infection and voted with the PPE kit on. She had tested positive for the virus on April 3.

6:46 PM

EC has designated one hour between 6 pm and 7 pm to facilitate voting for Covid positive patients

Election Commission has designated one hour between 6 pm and 7 pm to facilitate voting for Covid positive patients

6:35 PM

DMK MP Kanimozhi cast her vote wearing PPE kit in Mylapore constituency

5:51 PM

Will work with new govt to free TN temples from state control: Sadhguru

Isha Foundation founder and spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev said on Tuesday no matter which party comes to power, he will work with them to free TN temples from state control in the next five years.

 

Responding to a question on his 'FreeTNTemples movement' launched last month, Jaggi Vasudev, after casting his vote, claimed approximately 3.5 crore people have expressed their support for the movement.

5:44 PM

LIVE: 63% voting recorded in Tamil Nadu till 5:20 pm, according to EC

LIVE: 63% voting recorded in Tamil Nadu till 5:20 pm, according to the Election Commission of India

5:15 PM

Kamal Haasan’s party alleges BJP distributing tokens to voters that can be later exchanged for cash

Kamal Haasan’s party alleges BJP distributing tokens to voters that can be later exchanged for cash

4:36 PM

Puducherry elections: Around 66 per cent polling till 3 PM

An estimated 66 per cent of the 10.04 lakh voters in the Union Territory of Puducherry exercised their franchise till 3 PM on Tuesday.

 

Polling was brisk from the beginning.

 

Official sources said that 66.36 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in Puducherry while the Karaikal region recorded 64.86 per cent, Mahe 56.53 per cent and Yanam region 71.60 per cent.

 

Yanam, where the AINRC leader N Rangasamy is contesting, registered a higher percentage of polling than the other three regions from the beginning.

3:45 PM

LIVE: AIADMK complains to EC about DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin

AIADMK files official complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer about DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin casting his vote with DMK's symbol etched on his shirt. Demands proper action be taken.

3:21 PM

Nearly 40 per cent turnout as 'smooth' polling underway in Tamil Nadu

Voter turnout was nearly 40 per cent in Tamil Nadu till 1 pm as polling continued peacefully in a brisk pace across the state with key leaders including AIADMK's K Palaniswami, O Panneerselvam and DMK chief M K Stalin exercising their franchise on Tuesday.

 

"Till 1 pm, the polling was 39.61 per cent and the highest was Virudhunagar district with 41.79 per cent and lowest was Tirunelveli with 32.29 per cent," Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters adding there were no major law and order issues anywhere and polling was on 'smoothly.'

 

Asked about an allegation that at a polling station in Virudhunagar, whichever candidate people chose on the EVM, it displayed only a particular symbol, he said there were no such reports.

3:11 PM

Visually challenged voters cast their votes at a polling station in Trichy

3:02 PM

Congress leader Karti Chidambaram cast vote in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga

Congress leader Karti Chidambaram casts his vote along with his wife and daughter at a polling booth in Tiruppathur, Sivaganga district on Tuesday.

 

"I believe that DMK-Congress alliance will have a massive victory in Tamil Nadu. It will be a repeat of the 2019 election where the alliance code a handsome victory," said Karti Chidambaram.

 

"The people of Tamil Nadu want a regime change and a government which does not have the smell, stain or shadow of Hindi, Hindutva BJP in Tamil Nadu," he added.

2:12 PM

Puducherry polls: 53.77 per cent voter turnout till 1.30 pm

Puducherry recorded a voter turnout of 53.77 per cent till 1.30 pm across 30 constituencies, according to the Election Commission (EC).

 

The Oussudu constituency in the Union Territory (UT) has witnessed the highest voting percentage with a voter turnout of 60.11 per cent till 1.30 pm, while the Mahe constituency witnessed the lowest voting percentage with a voter turnout of 45.80 per cent. Thirunallar and Thirubhuvani also reported voter turnout above 59 per cent.

 

A total of 10,04,507 electors will decide the fate of 324 candidates across 30 constituencies of Puducherry.