Tamil Nadu Urban Local Body Election Highlights:
The incessant rains of November 2021 had brought Chennai and its neighbouring districts to a standstill. The relentless showers had caused much misery to the residents, with many claiming to have remained starved for days amid accumulated water in their neighbourbood. Several people fell sick due to the sewage-mixed rainwater and residents from all pockets complained of leeches and centipedes all over their homes.
Three months later, although the water has long receded, the problems arising from the damages due to the rains are far from getting over. From damaged storm water drains and frequent power cuts to broken roads, poor maintenance of public toilets and excess pollution, there seems to be no end to the woes.
READ | 3 months since Chennai floods, woes far from receding for residents of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone
“All parties take money to get work done. I am 94 years old. What am I going to do with money? Vote for me and together we will bring a change to this place,” Kamakshi Subramaniyan, a civic activist contesting the upcoming Tamil Nadu local body elections, said to voters at Urur Olcott Kuppam in Chennai’s Besant Nagar on Wednesday.
An Independent candidate in the corporation’s ward 174, the nonagenarian walked the lanes holding the hands of her team members as an announcer blared out her name from an autorickshaw carrying her campaign hoarding—her only in-person campaign event for Saturday’s election. From fighting for restoration of water bodies and repairing storm water drains in the city to demanding the restoration of the Karl Schmidt Memorial at Elliot’s Beach, Kamakshi Paati, as she is fondly called, has for years been working under the banner of SPARK, a civic forum she co-founded.
READ | At 94, Independent candidate stands for change in Chennai corporation elections
The urban local body polls are all set to take place on February 19. The political parties have announced their candidates and are busy campaigning. The state election commission is keeping a hawk-eye on all the activities of the political parties and the police are working on the ground to ensure a smooth conduct of the polls.
Amid poll-related activities, the small and medium-scale manufacturing units in Tiruppur are limping back to normalcy. The Covid-induced lockdown forced many of these units to shut shops and many of the workers from other states have returned to their hometowns.
Coronavirus cases in Tamil Nadu on Sunday plunged below the 1,000-mark for the first time during the third wave. There were 949 cases and three fatalities. There were no deaths in Chennai, the state capital. On Saturday, there were 1,051 COVID-19 cases and seven deaths.
According to a bulletin from the Health Department, the State recorded a total of 34,44,929 cases and the deaths 37,980 till date.
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Recoveries continued to rise and 3,172 patients got discharged today. The cumulative recoveries increased to 33,91,011 today from 33,87,839 on Saturday. The total active cases, including isolation, as of today declined to 15,938 from 18,164 a day ago, said the bulletin.
Among the 38 districts, Chennai is the lone district in the State accounting for 223 new infections - a marginal decline from 238 on Saturday. (PTI)
The main opposition AIADMK on Sunday urged the State Election Commission to order repolling in more wards here alleging violence, booth-capturing and impersonation of voters by the ruling DMK. The AIADMK also demanded a thorough probe and appropriate legal action in this regard.
Specifying civic poll-related incidents here in various polling stations, the AIADMK also alleged violation of an order of the Madras High Court as CCTV camera was not fixed in a booth.
A representation on the matter was sent to the Tamil Nadu State Election Commissioner by AIADMK legal wing joint secretary R M Babu Murugavel.
The 11 listed incidents were in essence allegations of unleashing violence against AIADMK men and others, booth-capturing and 'casting false votes' by impersonating voters. (PTI)
South superstar Kamal Haasan on Sunday said he has exited the reality TV series ‘Bigg Boss Ultimate’ owing to scheduling conflicts with his forthcoming film ‘Vikram’.
The official statement of Haasan quitting the digital version of ‘Bigg Boss Tamil’ comes a day after speculation in the media about the same.
The 67-year-old actor announced the news in a statement shared on Twitter with the caption: “After a short break”, promising fans that he will be back for the sixth season of the popular reality show.
The pandemic and the resulting lockdowns and restrictions rightly imposed by the Government has created disarray and has constrained us to reschedule the production and post-production of our forthcoming film, Vikram, Haasan, who has hosted five seasons of the show's Tamil on TV since 2017, said in a statement.
He said the team had meticulously planned the production schedule of ‘Vikram’ so that it does not affect his commitments to ‘Bigg Boss’, a show which the actor said is very close to his heart. (PTI)
The district AIADMK on Sunday urged the Special Election Observer to further tighten security to the counting centres in view of the alleged plan of the DMK workers to create violence on February 22 when the counting of the votes polled for the civic election is scheduled.
In a memorandum submitted to the Observer S Nagarajan, all the nine MLAs representing the district requested announcement of the results immediately after the counting.
Stating that the DMK had reportedly issued a oral order to the election and police officials to support and cooperate with the party workers at the centres, the MLAs, led by party whip and MLA S P Velumani, said the ruling party workers would go to any extent to unleash violence.
Despite many complaints with regard to distribution of money and gifts by the DMK, no action was taken, said the memorandum. Therefore, the Observer should take meaures to deploy more security personnel at the counting centres and announce the results soon after the counting, which would be videographed on the orders of Madras High Court, it said. (PTI)
The Tamil Nadu State Election Commission on Sunday ordered repolling on February 21 in 7 polling stations falling under Chennai and 3 other districts.
In Chennai Corporation area, the repolling would be in a booth (Washermenpet) under Ward 51 and another polling station (Odaikuppam-Besant Nagar) in Ward 179.
Two polling stations each in Jayamkondam and Tiruvannamalai municipalities and a booth in Tirumangalam muncipality would again go for the polls, a TNSEC release said.
The main opposition AIADMK, in a complaint on Sunday to the TNSEC, had alleged violence by DMK and demanded repolling in some of the wards.
The repolling in the 7 polling stations would be from 7 am to 6 pm on February 21. Urban civic polls were held on February 19 in Tamil Nadu. (PTI)
A 58-year-old Special Sub-Inspector, who was on duty for the local body elections, died in an accident here on Sunday morning, police said. According to police, Special Sub-Inspector Subramani was attached to Erode Government Headquarters Hospital outpost and had been deputed to the urban local body election for duty.
On Saturday night, he had collected the EVMs from various polling stations and went to the Government Engineering College in Chithode to hand it over to election officials.After placing the EVMs in the strong room at the college, Subramani left for his house located at Kanjikoil, a suburb of Erode, through the national highway on his two-wheeler.
When he was nearing Chinniampalayam, the police said the SI lost control of the two-wheeler, fell down and died on the spot due to multiple injuries.Upon getting information, Kanjikoil police rushed to the spot and took him to Erode Government Headquarters Hospital where he was declared dead. (PTI)
Two labourers from Jharkhand were killed and two others sustained injuries as a steam boiler exploded at a prawn farm near Sirkazhi in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, police said. The accident happened at a private prawn farm in Thoduvai village near Sirkazhi around 12 pm, they said. The victims were identified as Arun Oran (25) and Baljeet Oran (21), who were both killed on the spot, police said. Read more
Makkal Needhi Maiam party members on Sunday staged a protest at the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) office in Chennai alleging irregularities in the urban local body polls. The members were raising slogans asking the counting to be stopped.
A 29-year-old fisherman was injured when a speeding vehicle of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) allegedly knocked him down near the renowned Sri Kothandaramaswamy temple here on Sunday. The vehicle, which was coming from Dhanushkodi, south-east of Pamban island, hit fisherman A Vignesh who was standing near the temple, local fishers said, claiming that the ICG vehicle did not stop to help the injured man.
The injured fisherman is from Natarajapuram Fishers Colony in Rameshwaram. A group of fishermen, who noticed the incident, rushed Vignesh to the government hospital here for treatment. He is said to be stable, they said.
The incident has come as a rude shock to the local fishers who have been facing frequent troubles from the Sri Lankan Navy whenever they ventured into the sea for fishing. 'It is indeed shocking that our own defence forces' vehicle did not stop to rush aid after the vehicle hit our man,' a fisherman said. (PTI)
Shocked over a bank agreeing for a sum of just Rs 14 lakh as debt recovery as against a tribunal ordered Rs 1.85 crore, the Madras High Court has on its own taken up the matter and directed the bank to divulge the identity of its officer who had 'settled' the issue for the meagre sum towards return of the loaned money. The court wanted to initiate a vigilance enquiry against the bank official in contention.
While the borrowed sum was Rs 62 lakh in 1992, the Debt Recovery Tribunal ordered the defaulted to return Rs 1.85 crore with interest to the bank in 2000 although the bank settled the matter for Rs 14 lakh in 2010 as one time payment. And shocked over the transaction, the first bench of the Madras High Court on February 16 directed Industrheial Investment Bank India Limited to divulge the identity of its officer who had 'settled' the issue for the meagre sum towards return of the loaned money. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu registered a poll percentage of 60.70 per cent in the February 19 urban local bodies election that witnessed an interesting multi-cornered contest with the constituents of the opposition AIADMK alliance contesting on their respective party's own strengths, rather than remaining together, against the DMK combine. Among the 21 corporations, which went to polls, the Greater Chennai Corporation registered the lowest turnout of 43.59 per cent while Karur polled the maximum of 75.84 per cent on Saturday, according to the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC).
Among the municipalities, Dharmapuri registered an impressive turnout of 81.37 per cent and Nilgiris recorded the lowest voter turnout of 59.98 per cent, the SEC said. On the whole, the town panchayats and municipalities recorded a good voter turnout of 74.68 per cent and 68.22 per cent respectively, while the highly urbanised corporations saw a low turnout of 52.22 per cent. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu on Saturday recorded 1,051 coronavirus cases and seven deaths thereby taking the count to 34,43,980 and 37,977 respectively. Recoveries continued to rise and they included 3,561 patients getting discharged today. The cumulative recoveries increased to 33,87,839. The total active cases, including isolation, were 18,164, according to a bulletin. (PTI)
Tamil Nadu BJP unit president K Annamalai on Saturday alleged impersonation saying some one else had already cast the vote of Union Minister of State L Murugan in the urban local body polls. Murugan later voted at a polling station here and the state unit of the BJP shared related pictures to the media. The TN BJP chief stuck to his allegation and said the minister was permitted by authorities to vote only after his party’s protest. Read more
A visually challenged assistant English professor on Saturday said election authorities did not provide people like him a Braille sheet containing information on candidates and symbols to enable them to make an independent choice. While authorities said visually impaired people were helped and guided to make a choice inside the polling stations, the visually challenged person regretted non-compliance of Election Commission’s norms in this regard which ensure making a choice on their own. Read more
Tamil Nadu Saturday recorded a total voter turnout of 60.70 per cent.
A visually challenged assistant English professor on Saturday said election authorities did not provide people like him a Braille sheet containing information on candidates and symbols to enable them to make an independent choice. While authorities said visually impaired people were helped and guided to make a choice inside the polling stations, the visually challenged person regretted non-compliance of Election Commission’s norms in this regard which ensure making a choice on their own. Read more
Chennai recorded a voter turnout of 43.59 per cent on Saturday and Tamil Nadu recorded a total voter turnout of 60.70 per cent.
A polling agent of the BJP was arrested on Saturday after he objected to a woman wearing a hijab while voting at a polling booth in Madurai. The accused has been identified as Girinandhan (40). A case has been registered against the BJP booth agent and he has been booked under four Sections, including obstruction of duty of a civil servant and making death threats after he allegedly harassed the woman voter.
The single phase polling on Saturday in Tamil Nadu to elect over 12,500 ward members in 640 plus urban local bodies was peaceful by and large, officials said. The voter turnout was tepid in several regions through the day and an announcement on overall polling percentage is expected from the state election commission. The counting of votes would commence on February 22 in 268 centres. The urban civic polls were last held in Tamil Nadu in 2011 when the AIADMK was in power.
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DGP Sylendra Babu said that the Tamil Nadu civic polls, held after 11 years, was by and large peaceful. He added that the police have taken immediate action to respond to information provided by the public on social media and over the phone.
A polling agent of the BJP was arrested on Saturday after he objected to a woman wearing a hijab while voting at a polling booth in Madurai. The Melur police said they are yet to remand him. The accused has been identified as Girinandhan (40).
In a video that was shared widely on social media, Girinandhan was seen claiming that the woman’s face was not visible while voting. The incident disrupted polling for some time at ward no. 8 in Al Ameen High School, Melur municipality. Read More
A case has been registered against a BJP booth agent who allegedly asked a woman voter to remove her hijab for identity verification during the urban local body polls. BJP booth agent Giriraj has been booked under four Sections, including obstruction of duty of a civil servant and making death threats after he allegedly harassed the woman voter in the 8th ward of Melur in Madurai.
Makkal Needhi Maiam and Naam Tamizhar candidates allege irregularities in polling held at Chithkala nursery and primary school in Indra Nagar, Chennai. The candidates claim as many as 200 votes were recorded between 5:30 - 6 pm, a slot allotted for Covid-19 patients.
Based on the complaint of DMK candidate of alleged booth capturing, the election officer at Ward 17 in Tirumangalam in Madurai has appealed the State Election Commission for repolling.
Chennai registered 41.68 per cent of polling in the urban local body elections till 5 pm. At the same time, in Avadi Corporation 45.98% of the votes were cast till 5 pm and in Tambaram 43% polling was recorded.
A visually challenged assistant English professor on Saturday said election authorities did not provide people like him a Braille sheet containing information on candidates and symbols to enable them to make an independent choice. While authorities said visually impaired people were helped and guided to make a choice inside the polling stations, the visually challenged person regretted non-compliance of Election Commission's norms in this regard which ensure making a choice on their own.
Assistant Professor of English, K Raghuraman, Government Arts College for Men here, told PTI that no Braille sheets were provided to them to pick their choice symbols listed on the EVM. "We hope that the authorities take steps to follow the Election Commission's guidelines in the future at the least. If such guidelines are followed and Braille sheets are provided, we will be independent and we will also be able to get a first-hand experice in voting without any one else's support," he said. Asked if he voted, he said,'yes, I have no choice but to depend on others.' (PTI)
The voting in the urban local body elections in Tamil Nadu came to an end by 6 pm. The last one hour was allotted for Covid patients and those with suspected infection. However, those who had arrived at the polling booths before 5 pm were allowed to cast their vote.
Former Minister D Jayakumar led AIADMK members allege booth capturing at ward number 49. AIADMK members had captured one person who allegedly belongs to DMK. They further staged a road block at old washermenpet and raised slogans against the government.
The state election commission has said that the voting for the general public has been closed by 5 pm. Voters who arrived before 5 pm will be given a token and allowed to vote. Those affected by the coronavirus infection can vote from 5 pm to 6 pm, it added.
Union Home Minister L Murugan cast his vote at the Anna Nagar polling booth in Chennai. Earlier, Tamil Nadu BJP unit president K Annamalai alleged impersonation saying someone else had already cast the vote of Murugan in the urban local body polls.
However, the state election commission had stated that the name Murugan appears twice in the voters' list at the polling station concerened and vote was cast against the other.
The voting in the Tamil Nadu urban local body elections ended at 5 pm. from 5 pm to 6 pm, arrangements have been made for Covid patients and those suspected of the infection to cast their vote, according to the state Election Commission.
In Tamil Nadu, 47.18 per cent voter turnout was registered in the urban local body elections as of 3 pm. According to the State Election Commission, 39.13% of the votes were cast in corporations, 53.49% in municipalities and 61.38% in municipalities.
Tamil Nadu BJP unit president K Annamalai on Saturday alleged impersonation saying some one else had already cast the vote of Union Minister of State L Murugan in the urban local body polls.
Making these allegations, Annamalai tweeted, "The level to which official machinery is misused is too obvious today. @arivalayam party members distributing cash right outside polling centre in Coimbatore & across TN. Hon Min Shri @Murugan_MoS avl vote casted by some one else in his polling booth in Anna Nagar East, Chennai."
Voting has been suspended for more than 2 hours due to a malfunction of the voting machine at Polling Station No.90, 18th Ward, Vellore Corporation.
A heated argument took place between the workers of DMK and AIADMK at the 18th ward polling booth in Pudukkottai municipality. Police p[ersonnel intervened and removed the party workers from the area.
In the urban local body elections in Tamil Nadu, 31.89 per cent voter turnout was registered in the Chennai Corporation as of 3 pm.
Raghunath (70), an elderly man, came to the polling booth in T Nagar, Chennai with an oxygen cylinder and cast his vote as he was recovering from ill health.
35.34 per cent voter turnout in urban local body polls till 1pm in the Tamil Nadu.
According to the update available at 1 pm, Karur recorded the highest polling percentage of 46.04% while Chennai registered the lowest at 23.42%.
It is with great pleasure that the people of Narikuravar colony, who have been living in the Thoothukudi constituency for 40 years, for the first time, went to the polls with the identity card issued by our Union Government to fulfill their democratic duty, says DMK MP Kanimozhi.
To locate your polling station – https://tnsec.tn.nic.in/tn_election_urban2021/find_your_polling_station.php
To locate your ward and zone – https://chennaicorporation.gov.in/gcc/citizen-details/location-service/find_zone.jsp
Chennai registered a voter turnout of 23.42 per cent till 1 pm, the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) said.
The voting for the Tamil Nadu urban local body elections is currently underway. Voting began at 7 am and ends at 6 pm. The last one hour (5 pm to 6 pm) has been alloted for those voters affected by coronavirus.
The urban civic polls underway in Tamil Nadu witnessed an overall polling percentage of 21.69 per cent till 11 AM on Saturday, the state election commission said. The voting exercise that began at 7 AM today is underway across the state's urban regions and till 11 AM, the aggregate polling percentage covering 38 districts stood at 21.69 per cent.
In Ariyalur district it was 30.79 per cent, (the highest) and Chengelpet (10.65 per cent), the lowest, a Tamil Nadu State Election Commission said in an official release. (PTI)
A polling agent of the BJP was removed from a polling booth in Madurai on Saturday after he objected to a woman wearing a hijab while voting. In a video that was shared widely on social media, the man claimed that the woman’s face was not visible while voting. The incident disrupted polling for some time at ward no. 8 in Al Ameen High School, Melur municipality.
The booth in-charge of the BJP who raised the objection was identified as Girirajan. Officials in the video are seen informing him that they were able to verify the identity of the woman and that there was no need to question her. However, the man refused to pay heed. Read more
Actor turned politician and Makkal Needhi Maiam Chief Kamal Hassan on Saturday cast his vote at a polling booth in Teynampet in Chennai.
As of 11 am, Tamil Nadu registered a voter turnout of 21.69 per cent. Chennai recorded a voter turnout of 17.88 per cent till 11 am.
DMK MP Kanimozhi on Saturday cast her vote at a polling booth in Chennai.
A BJP booth agent on Saturday asked a woman voter to remove her hijab at the Melur municiapality in Madurai. Polling was stopped for some time at the booth and later resumed after the BJP agent was asked to leave, Puthiya Thalaimurai reported.
As of 9 am on Saturday morning, 12.01% per cent of voter turnout was recorded in Dindigul.
Police on Friday said they have arrested four people for hoarding and possessing liquor here to sell it at a premium during the urban local body polls. The police said the government ordered closure of TASMAC shops in the district on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and again on Tuesday next when the counting of votes takes place. The local and Prohibition Enforcement Wing of the police conducted a vigil to ensure full closure of liquor shops. One of the four arrested stored the liquor in a rented house, said the police. (PTI)