 "Tamil Nadu Elections")
Tamil Nadu has registered voters' turnout of 73.76 per cent during the 2016 Assembly election as compared to 78.02 per cent recorded during the 2011 election. Despite the several attempts by Tamil Nadu Election Commission for 100 per cent voting, the voters turnout was low.
The 15th Assembly election has started off with slow turn around and till lunch it continued in slow pace due to rain in southern and delta districts. In Chennai also average rain has impacted the voting. For instance, at Vedaranyam in South Tamil Nadu 10.2 centimeter rain was reported till afternoon.
Polling started at 7 a.m. and went till 6 p.m. across the state. The Election Commission has wanted to extend the timing for one hour in districts where heavy rains were reported.
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In 1996, total turnout was 66.95 per cent, which dropped to 59.07 per cent in 2001 and it increased to 70.82 per cent in 2006 and further went up to 78.01 per cent in 2011. Despite the fact that in the last five years around 10 million voters were added, polling percentage was dropped.
Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni said that voting in towns were less compared to rural parts of the state and the voting levels of Chennai has not increased even after large scale social media and other campaigns run by the Election Commission. He added that while the total turn out in percentage seems lower, it is because the total number of voters has been increased compared to five years ago. He added that there is a slight increase in voters' turnout compared to the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.
Tamil Nadu has around 58.2 million voters and total candidates in the fray were 3,776. The Election Commission has earlier decided to postpone the elections in two constituencies - Aravakurichi, in Karur and Thanjavur constituency in Thanjavur, from May 16 to May 23 owing to the amount of money being seized from the constituencies in the recent days. Total number of constituencies in the state is 234.
Political leaders and celebrities have casted their votes before 10 am at Chennai. BJP State President Tamilisai Soundarajan casted her vote at 7 am. All the four Chief Minister candidates including DMK Supremo M Karunanidhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK Supremo J Jayalalithaa, PMK Leader and Former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, third front's CM candidate Vijaykanth have casted their votes before 10.30 am.
The 2016 election will be the first time a powerful third front has emerged, while traditionally it was two Dravidian parties -- AIADMK and DMK -- have been ruling the State for nearly five decades now.
Speaking to reporters after casting at her vote at Stella Maris College Jayalalithaa, who was accompanied by her friend Sasikala, said that in the next two days people verdict will be known. It may be noted, Jayalalithaa studied in the same college.
DMK leader M Karunanidhi casted his vote at Gopalapuram. He told reporters that his party will form the Government and he was confident that DMK and the alliance will get sufficient numbers.
PMK's Ramadoss also claimed that his party will form the Government, while Vijaykanth did not speak to reporters.
Lakhoni said that no major violence or booth capture were reported, local channels have reported minor incidents and clashes.
Counting for the 232 constituencies are expected to take place on May 19, while the other two constituencies where the polling has been postponed, counting will be held on May 25, said Lakhoni.
3,776 candidates are in the race, of which 3,454 are men, 320 women and two third genders. The total number of polling stations was over 66,000. A total of 1,07,210 electronic voting machines, including reserves were made available for the election and there are 75,908 control units including reserves. Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) were allotted to booths in 17 constituencies, for the voters to verify their votes has been cast to the intended candidate.
According to Tamil Nadu Assembly website, the Legislative Assembly consists of 234 elected Members from 189 General and 45 reserved constituencies (42 SC Constituencies and 3 ST Constituencies).
Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, where Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is contesting, has the highest number of candidates - 45, while three constituencies Arcot, Gudalur and Mayiladuthurai has the lowest number of candidates, which is eight.
The largest assembly constituency in terms of electorate is Sholinganallur, in Chennai, which has over 0.602 million voters, while smallest assembly constituency electorate wise is Kilvelur, where there are 0.163 million voters.
The AIADMK has fielded its candidates in 227 seats and the balance seven has been given to its allies. This is the first time in the party's history that the AIADMK is contesting in more than 200 seats.
Though the allies have been given only seven seats, they will contest under AIADMK's "two leaves" symbol. Thus, for the first time, the AIADMK symbol will be seen in all the 234 constituencies.
The DMK has aligned with the Congress, two Muslim parties and some smaller outfits.
The third front led by the DMDK (symbol- drum) comprises the CPI-M (hammer, sickle and star), CPI (ears of corn and sickle) VCK (ring), TMC (coconut trees) and MDMK (top) under its fold.
The BJP (lotus) leads another front with smaller outfits while Naam Thamizhar Katchi is also contesting 234 seats under 'two burning candles' symbol.
