ERODE: The voter turn out in the byelection held for the Erode East Assembly Constituency on February 5 has decreased by 6.72 per cent compared to the 2023 bypoll, according to Election officials.
In 2023, the constituency witnessed 74.69 per cent polling, where Congress candidate EVKS Elangovan was declared elected, defeating his nearest rival K S Thennarasu (AIADMK) by 66,233 votes.
In 2025, the bypoll was nesseciated following the death of Elangovan.
A total of 67.97 per cent of voting was recorded in Erode east Assembly bypoll, authorities said late on Wednesday.
There were 46 candidates, including 44 independents, in the fray and the contest was only between the ruling DMK's VC Chandirakumar and Tamil nationalist party, Naam Tamizhar Katchi's (NTK) M K Seethalakshmi.
Opposition parties, including the main opposition AIADMK, have boycotted the polls.
All the EVMs from 237 polling stations were sent to the Institute of Road and Transport Technology, Chitode where the counting of votes will be held on February 8.
A four-tier security has been provided in the strong room where Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are kept, police said.