Polling for the crucial bypoll to Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, from where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa is seeking re-election, began today at 8 AM amid tight security.
Twenty eight candidates, including social activist "Traffic" Ramaswamy are in the fray. However, the main contest is between Jayalalithaa and CPI nominee C Mahendran.
Security personnel, including Central police forces, have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling across the 230 polling stations.
The byelection was necessitated after AIADMK's P Vetrivel vacated the seat in May, so Jayalalithaa could seek re-election.
Jayalalithaa has to fulfil a constitutional requirement of getting elected as MLA within six months of becoming CM.
She returned to the top post on May 23 after being acquitted in a wealth case. She had been convicted in the case in September last year by a trial court in Bangalore.