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Byelections in Kancheepuram, Gummidipoondi peaceful

Tamil Nadu Bureau

65 to 70 per cent turnout; parties complain of presence of non-voters

DETAINED: A.K. Moorthy, MP, who was held near the Sankara Mutt in Kancheepuram on Saturday. — Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

CHENNAI: Byelections to the Kancheepuram and Gummidipoondi Assembly constituencies on Saturday were by and large peaceful. There were no reports of booth-capturing or bogus voting.

About 70 per cent of the voters in Gummidipoondi and 65 per cent in Kancheepuram exercised their franchise, Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta said.

Thanks to the heavy deployment of Central forces and the presence of Election Commission observers, including Special Observer K.J. Rao, the polling went off peacefully.

Major political parties had made representations about the presence of non-voters and their complaints were being looked into, Mr. Gupta said.

There were complaints that Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in some booths were not functioning properly. However, the machines were set right immediately.

PMK MP, MLA held

Some middle-level AIADMK and PMK leaders were among those detained for moving around without valid permits in Kancheepuram. The PMK MP, A.K. Moorthy, claimed that he had been accosted by the police when he was at the Pillayarpalayam temple. "If there is a function in this locality, I come here. I was here to console a family which had lost a member. How can the police hold me illegally?"

The Chengalpattu MLA, K. Arumugham, also of the PMK, was arrested under similar circumstances.

The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board chairman, N. Balaganga (AIADMK), was held when he was moving around in his vehicle on Senkazhineer Odai road. He was allowed to sit in the car on the premises of the Vishnu Kanchi police station, but was barred from meeting any one.

Asked about the arrests, the Kancheepuram Superintendent of Police, R. Samuthirapandi, said: "All, except voters, need an authorised pass or permit to move about. This is applicable to even members of Parliament or MLAs."

Makeshift structure

In Gummidipoondi, Mr. Rao entered a makeshift structure put up by the AIADMK at Keezhamudalampedu. However, those inside the structure fled immediately.

Mr. Rao ordered their arrest and the confiscation of a vehicle. But the police personnel following him in a convoy said that only the local police could carry out arrests. To this, he said: "You are policemen, but not able to do your job." He left the venue after entrusting the job to a mobile police unit.

In Kancheepuram, EVMs failed in two booths before the commencement of polling. The control units were replaced immediately.

In Gummidipoondi, there was connecting error in five booths, which was also set right. In a booth at Chinna Obulapuram in the constituency, the control unit had to be replaced due to non-functioning of the display. A total of 513 votes had been polled by then.

Polling was brisk right since morning and 40 per cent votes in Kancheepuram and 30 per cent in Gummidipoondi were cast by 1 p.m. Mr. Gupta said videography at the polling stations and the appointment of observers had helped in checking violations and in ensuring a free and fair poll. He complimented the revenue staff for successfully conducting the byelections in a short time.

Counting on Monday

He said the counting of votes would be taken up on Monday at Sri Ram Polytechnic, Perumalpattu, for Gummidipoondi and at Pachaiyappa's College for Men for Kancheepuram. The counting would start at 8 a.m.

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