DMK pushes AIADMK to 2nd spot in Vellore, leads by 7,985 votes
Vellore (TN): The ruling AIADMK which was leading in Vellore Lok Sabha seat since Friday morning was pushed to the second place by arch rival DMK and the opposition party is ahead by a margin of 7,985 votes.
While the DMK managed to secure a lead of 4,625 votes after the 10th round, it surged ahead subsequently and increased the margin to 7,895 votes.
The AIADMK was ahead by 3,162 votes at 11.40 a.m.
AIADMK's A C Shanmugam (chief of Puthiya Neethi Katchi, an ally of the ruling party) and DMK's D M Kathir Anand are the key contenders of the total 28 candidates in the fray.
Right from start of the counting process this morning, the AIADMK was ahead of the DMK with the margin crossing 15,000 votes in successive rounds before it dwindled to 6,362 votes by the 10th round.
The poll to the Vellore Lok Sabha seat, originally scheduled to be held in April along with the other constituencies in Tamil Nadu, was cancelled following tax raids here and cash seizures.
Fresh polling was held on August 5.
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Nagaland bypoll: Over 59 pc voter turnout recorded in Koridang seat till 1 pm
Kohima (PTI): More than 59 per cent of 22,382 electors exercised their franchise in Nagaland's Koridang assembly bypoll till 1 pm on Thursday, officials said.
The voting that commenced at 7 am across all 30 polling stations has so far been peaceful, they said.
The polling will continue till 4 pm.
"The voter turnout was 59.52 per cent till 1 pm. Polling has been peaceful," an Election Commission official said.
Security has been tightened across the constituency following violence on April 5 and 6, in which one person died, and several vehicles were damaged.
The byelection was necessitated by the demise of sitting BJP MLA Imkong L. Imchen in November last year.
A total of 22,382 electors, including 11,071 women, are eligible to decide the fate of six candidates in the fray.
The BJP, which is part of the ruling People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), has fielded the deceased MLA's son Daochier I. Imchen, while the Congress has nominated T. Chalukumba Ao for the seat. The NPP candidate is I Abenjang, and the Independents are Imchatoba Imchen, Imtiwapang, and Toshikaba.
All the candidates have exercised their franchise in the respective polling stations in the first hour of polling, the officials said.
Of the 30 polling stations, 13 have been categorised as vulnerable and 17 as critical, prompting deployment of additional security personnel and intensified surveillance. Two polling stations have been designated as all-women booths.
Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
