Voting begins in TN for Lok Sabha, Assembly by-polls

Chennai, April 18 (IANS) Voting in Tamil Nadu began at 7 a.m. on Thursday in 38 Lok Sabha seats and 18 assembly constituencies where by-elections are being held.

About 5.8 crore voters will decide the fate of 822 candidates in the Lok Sabha polls.

While Tamil Nadu has a total of 39 Lok Sabha constituencies, President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday rescinded the poll for Vellore constituency after the Income Tax (IT) department seized unaccounted cash from a cement warehouse of a DMK functionary.

The Election Commission (EC) has said the cash was kept for distribution to voters and the situation was not conducive for holding free and fair elections in Vellore.

Along with the polls for Lok Sabha in Tamil Nadu, a sort of mini Assembly election is also being held with the conduct of by-elections for 22 Assembly constituencies in two phases.

While voting is on in 18-Assembly seats, the polling for the remaining four seats will be held on May 19.

A total of 269 candidates are in the fray for the assembly by-elections.

The results of both -- Parliamentary, and by-elections for 22 Assembly seats, will be declared on May 23.

Polling will come to an end at 6 p.m. in all the polling booths barring in Madurai where voting will end at 8 p.m. owing to the Chithirai festival.

The EC has identified about 8,200 booths as sensitive and vulnerable of the around 67,700 booths. Arrangements for live webcasting of the polling has been made in about 30,000 booths.

At least 1.4 lakh security personnel have been deployed in the state for security.

In a first, Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) has been deployed in all the polling booths, along with the electronic voting machine.