An elderly woman (left) shows her finger with ink marks after casting vote in Coimbatore. Surya (right), a transgender shows her voter ID and finger after casting vote for the first time in Thiruvananthapuram. (Source: PTI)
Millions voted on Monday in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, bringing down the curtains on staggered five-state elections — the biggest popularity test since the Lok Sabha battle.
Some 40 million voted in Tamil Nadu, which saw multiple contests in all constituencies for the first time, and about 18 million in Kerala, where the BJP made determined efforts to make inroads in a state dominated by the Congress-led UDF and the LDF headed by the CPI-M.
The polling percentage in Kerala — which elects a 140-seat assembly — was 70.35 at 5 p.m. Election Commission officials said it could well cross the 75.12 per cent recorded in 2011 when the polling ends at 6 p.m.
Coimbatore: Women standing in queue to cast their vote during assembly elections in Coimbatore on Monday. PTI Photo
As it happened:
#Overall polling percentage of 81.94% recorded in Puducherry Assembly election till 5pm: Election Commission
# An estimated voter turnout of 71.7% was recorded in Kerala.
# 69.19% voters turnout recorded till 5 PM in Tamil Nadu Election.
# Picking up pace rapidly, the Union Territory of Puducherry recorded 71.08 per cent voting till about 4 PM.
# A 54-year old polling officer died of a massive heart attack in a booth in Kangeyam Assembly constituency while two elderly voters in Madurai and Sivaganga collapsed and died near polling booths in Tamil Nadu, police said.
# 63.7% voters turnout recorded till 3 PM in Tamil Nadu
#Election authorities in Tamil Nadu have made a recommendation to the Election Commission to extend time to vote in rain hit regions of Tamil Nadu following representations from AIADMK, DMK and Congress.
# 57.54 % voters turnout recorded till 3 PM in Kerala
# 8 districts witnessing heavy rain. Have recommended to extend poll time, expecting ECI nod by 3pm: Rajesh Lahoni, Chief Electoral Officer of TN.
# 42.1% voter turnout recorded till 1 PM in Tamil Nadu Election, 45% voter in Kerala.
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Voting underway at a polling booth in Puducherry pic.twitter.com/d08DqGzp6V
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Chennai: Members of Chennai’s transgender community cast their vote, polling underway. pic.twitter.com/W3IXvKVCrQ
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Voting in Tamil Nadu assembly polls underway: A newly married bride casts her vote in Pallapalayam, Samalapuram. pic.twitter.com/yZ91NH7l1j
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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DMK women’s wing secretary and Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi casts her vote at a polling booth in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/fUvuTrtdLQ
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
# 30% voters turnout recorded till 11 AM in Kerala Polls.
# 25.2% voters turnout recorded till 11 AM in Tamil Nadu elections.
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Kerala Assembly elections underway: CM Oommen Chandy after casting his vote at a polling booth in Kottayam. pic.twitter.com/jWgtI2rJ9L
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Tamil Nadu assembly polls: Voting underway, Kamal Hasan casts his vote in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/9fJhqDWpAz
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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#TamilNaduElection: CM Jayalalithaa casts her vote at Chennai’s Stella Maris College pic.twitter.com/ssRvUZaWw3
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
# 13.5% voter turnout recorded till 9:30 am in Kerala.
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Chennai: DMDK-PWF chief ministerial candidate Vijayakanth casts his vote in Kaveri High School,Saligramam. pic.twitter.com/Uyxy5oh2WP
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
# Tamil Nadu Assembly polls: Polling percentage of 18.3% recorded till 9 am.
# Despite the hectic campaign of the Prime Minister, BJP will not be able to open account in Kerala assembly: AK Antony.
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Voting for Tamil Nadu assembly elections underway: DMK Treasurer M K Stalin casts his vote in SIET College,Chennai. pic.twitter.com/QmtzITjO6V
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Urging all voters in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry to vote in record numbers today & be a part of this festival of democracy.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 16, 2016
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Kerala: Former Defence Minister & Congress leader AK Antony casts his vote at Jagathy Govt High School in Trivandrum pic.twitter.com/3Ir8cZ6jbd
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Voting begins in Tamil Nadu, Rajinikanth casts his vote in Chennai’s Stella Maris College pic.twitter.com/WNGGG14xoH
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Tamil Nadu: DMK president M. Karunanidhi casts his vote at a polling booth in Gopalapuram in Chennai. pic.twitter.com/2Fv6qp8OES
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Kerala: Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi casts his vote at a polling booth in Thiruvananthapuram. pic.twitter.com/cOBmzS1iYJ
— ANI (@ANI_news) May 16, 2016
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Actions by @TNelectionsCEO looks like an eye wash, polling should have been postponed, says Seeman @IndianExpress
— Arun Janardhanan (@arunjei) May 16, 2016
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“Our winning chances are very bright. The conduct of @TNelectionsCEO is good,” says @kalaignar89 #TNElection2016 @IndianExpress
— Arun Janardhanan (@arunjei) May 16, 2016
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