74 per cent turnout in RK Nagar byelection

Chennai: A tentative poll percentage of 74.4 was recorded in the high-profile R.K. Nagar  Assembly constituency here, where a by-poll was conducted on Saturday. The figure is a two per cent increase than 2011 general election polling.

Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was among the candidates for the by-election in the labour-dominated constituency. Polling was brisk since morning. In the 2011 election, the polling percentage was 72.41. P.Vettrivel of the AIADMK won by a margin of 31,000 votes. This time, women voters surpassed men. While women voters constituted 74.8 per cent of polling, men recorded 74 per cent. Polling began by 8 am amid tight security. Candidates, including C. Mahendran of CPI and social activist ‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy, were seen frequenting booths.

The Chief Electoral Officer, Sandeep Saxena, said polling was ‘peaceful.’ in all the 230 polling booths. “After closure of poll, the polled EVMs were stored in the strong room of the counting centre in Queen Mary’s College. The inner perimeter of the counting centre is guarded by the central armed police force. The scrutiny of 17A register and other connected documents will be done by the observer and the returning officer at 11.00 am on June 28,”  Saxena said.

Six static surveillance teams, 28 flying squads and 15 pickets for area domination purpose were set up and these measures paid dividends, said a senior election department official.“This time with the Opposition DMK backing out, the ruling AIADMK banking on our leader Jayalalithaa’s popularity, is expecting a margin close to 1.5 lakh”, a senior AIADMK heavy weight told DC. “The arrangements were elaborate and I had to wait for about 25 minutes to vote in Tondiarpet corporation school booth,” said Ms Vijayalakshmi, a local resident