Urban civic polls: TN registers 60.70 pc poll percentage, Chennai lowest of 43.59 pc

Chennai: 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).

The single-phase election was held to fill up 12,838 posts in 21 corporations, 138 municipalities, 490 town panchayats and 649 urban local bodies in the state. A total of 74,416 candidates including many independents entered the fray.

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.

The electoral fortunes of the candidates of various political parties and independents, as well, will be known on February 22 when the SEC takes up the counting of votes.

The local body elections in TN were held after more than a decade. The polls were last conducted in 2011 when the AIADMK was in power in the state.