States » SouthPosted at: Oct 6 2026 8:08PM


Bypoll to lone Assembly seat in Pondy ends peacefully, 80 pc polling recorded

Puducherry, Oct 6 (UNI) Brisk turnout was witnessed all through the day as little over 80 per cent of the voters have cast their ballots sealing the fate of 11 candidates, as polling for the bypoll to high profile Thattanchavady Assembly seat in union Territory of Puducherry represented by the Chief Minister, passed off peacefully.
The pollng, which began at 0700 hrs in the morning saw good turnout all through the day with voters lining up braving the heat to exercise their democratic right, ended at 1800 hrs in the evening.
After allowing all those standing in the queue--when the gates were closed at 6.00 pm--to vote by issuing tokens, the EVMs would be sealed and taken to strong rooms. They would be taken to the counting centre on October 9 for counting after which the results would be declared.
Reports said 39.16 per cent of the total electorate of 26,921 have exercised their democratic right till 1100 hrs in all the 31 polling booths. The turnout was 56.31 per cent by 1300 hrs and it further went up to 68.91 per cent at 1500 hrs. At 1700 hrs 78.83 per cent polling was recorded, as against 84.33 per cent in the April 9 polls and the percentage stood at 80.81 at 1800 hrs.
The final total polling percentage would be known after compiling data from all the booths.
Among the key candidates in the four-cornered contest included ruling AINRC nominee and former MLA Ashok Anand, contesting as part of NDA, E.Vinayagam of Congress contesting as an ally of the TVK,, DMK's K Sethu alias Sethuselvam, and CPI's A Mohamed Saleem.
The bypoll was caused following the resignation of Chief Minister and AINRC Founder N.Rangasamy, who had won from two seats in the April 9 elections, and chose to retain the Mangalam seat.
UNI GV 2005
Tags: #Bypoll to lone Assembly seat in Pondy ends peacefully# 80 pc polling recorded
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