A high of 89.67 per cent in re-polling at 8 Dharmapuri booths

The Election Commission ordered re-polling following complaints of booth capturing and large scale irregularities in the Dharmapuri Lok Sabha constituency, where PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss is in the fray.

Braving the blazing heat, the voters stood in a long line to cast their votes for the Parliamentary and Assembly segments, amidst a tightened security involving over 600 cops. Of the total 6,059 voters, a total of 5,433 voters exercised their franchise in the eight polling centres.

Mild tension prevailed at Ayyampatty as people broke into a quarrel with election officials over a delay in exercising their rights. On receiving information that a large number of members of political parties have gathered at a few spots near Jalipudur, the police asked them to leave.

Similarly, the re-polling at Tirumangalam polling centre in Erode Lok Sabha constituency witnessed 81.74 per cent of votes. Re-polling was announced in the Tirumangalam polling station after the election officials failed to erase the votes registered during model polling. Of the total 920 voters, including 445 male and 475 female, 752 persons cast their votes.

Meanwhile, AIADMK candidate G Manimaran alleged that the election officials were guiding old age persons to cast their vote for DMK candidate. However, Erode Collector KS Palanisamy denied the charge claiming that the election officials wouldn’t insist the voters on the choice of candidate, but were merely helping the elderly as per norms.