Tiruchy: Though polling started on a dull note in Tiruchy, Karur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Pudukkottai, Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts, due to moderate to heavy rain, it picked up after noon. Despite rain and knee deep water in a few polling booths, voters turned up, umbrella in hand.
Polling was almost peaceful in the seven districts of central Tamil Nadu. Till 9 am, polling percentage in these districts was only just 10 to 12. By 3 pm the percentage crossed 50 per cent. Young and first generation voters came in large numbers despite the downpour at various places in these districts. However, enthusiasm was low compared to 2011 elections.
There were minor incidents in which polling was halted for about 30 minutes in a few booths in Tiruchy district. Faulty EVMs were replaced, according to Tiruchy district electoral officer K. S. Palanisamy. He told DC up to 5 pm, there was 72 per cent polling in the district.
The polling percentage up to 5 pm at Nagapattinam was 73, while Tiruvarur registered 72 . It was 81 per cent at Karur, 71.54 per cent at Pudukkottai and 80 per cent at Ariyalur, official sources said.
Karuppaiah of Vadamalaipatti in Musiri Assembly segment, aged 100, exercised his franchise at Panchayat union elementary school in the village, along with his daughter Gokila.
Similarly, Samuthirathammal of Edaiyur Sangenthi village in Tiruthuraipoondi constituency in Tiruvarur district, aged about 106 years, also cast her vote with the help of three relatives.
A group of newsmen was surrounded by gypsies at Devarayaneri Narikoravas colo-ny, a suburb of Tiruchy, in Tiruverumbur Assembly constituency. They complained that the colony lacked basic amenities. To register their protest, most residents would boycott the poll.
A newly wed couple in their wedding attire came directly from Subramaniaswamy temple in suburban Kumaravayalur, where their marriage was performed, to a polling booth at Sivanandha Balalaya at Ramalinga Nagar extension.
The bridegroom Sureshkumar of Srinivasanagar cast his vote. His wife Preethi of Bengaluru, did not vote as her name was not in the list meant for Tiruchy West Assem-bly segment.
