TN turnout over 63% amid EVM, VVPAT glitches

Chennai, April 18 (IANS) Curtains came down on polling in 37 of 38 Lok Sabha and 18 Assembly constituencies, where by-elections were held on Thursday, at 6 p.m. As many as 384 faulty electronic voting machines and 692 faulty Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were replaced across the state.

Polling will continue in Madurai Lok Sabha seat till 8 p.m. owing to the annual Chithirai festival.

While gates of the polling booths were closed at 6 pm, those who were present there for voting will be allowed to exercise the democratic right.

Speaking to reporters in the state capital, Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said 63.73 per cent of the eligible voters had voted by 5 p.m.

In 2014, 73 per cent polling was registered.

Sahoo said 67.08 per cent polling was recorded in the 18 Assembly seats where by-elections were being held.

Polling was smooth and there were no reports of voting being stalled due to faulty machines, he said, adding 384 faulty electronic voting machines and 692 VVPAT machines were replaced across the state.

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

Polling started at 7 a.m. and continued till 6 p.m.

Among the early voters were Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, DMK President M.K. Stalin, actor-politician Rajinikanth, DMDK leader Vijayakanth, PMK's S. Ramadoss and Anbumani Ramadoss, Congress' P. Chidambaram, BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararjan, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan and DMK leader Kanimozhi as well as actors Ajith, Vijay and Surya.