 "Counting of votes begins in Puducherry")
A total of 344 candidates, including 96 independents, are in the fray in the polls held on May 16.
Three-tier security has been put in place at the counting centres.
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Prominent among the contestants are Chief Minister N Rangasamy (AINRC), his cabinet colleagues, leader of the opposition V Vaithilingam (Congress), Speaker V Sbapathy,former Rajya Sabha member P Kannan (AIADMK) and PCC leader A Namassivayam.
AINRC, AIADMK, BJP and PMK have contested on their own while the Congress in alliance with DMK.
Puducherry registered 84.8% polling, 2.11% less than the turnout in 2011.