Polling for the Thattanchavady Assembly constituency bye-election in Puducherry concluded at 6 PM today, recording an overall voter turnout of 80.81 per cent.
The constituency had recorded a voter turnout of 87.10 per cent in the last Assembly election. Polling was held at 31 polling stations across the constituency and passed off peacefully. The voting machines will be sealed and transported to the Motilal Nehru Government Polytechnic College, where they will be kept in safe custody. Counting of votes will be held on October 9.
The bye-election was necessitated after Puducherry Chief Minister and AINRC leader N. Rangasamy, who had won from both Thattanchavady and Mangalam in the April Assembly election, retained the Mangalam seat and vacated Thattanchavady.
Eleven candidates are in the fray for the by-election. Major candidates include Ashok Anand of the All India N.R. Congress, Sethu Selvam of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, E. Vinayagam of the Indian National Congress, Mohammed Saleem A. of the Communist Party of India and Karthikumari of Naam Tamilar Katchi.
