Chennai, 06 Oct (H.S.): Voting began under tight security in Tamil Nadu’s Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies on Tuesday, following a campaign led by Chief Minister Vijay and senior opposition leaders.

Polling opened at 7 am across 605 stations in the two constituencies and will continue until 6 pm. Counting is scheduled for October 9.

The contests follow the resignations of AIADMK legislators Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama, who joined Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Both are seeking to retain their seats as candidates of the ruling party.

A combined electorate of 437,094 is eligible to vote, comprising 213,788 voters in Madurantakam and 223,306 in Dharapuram.

Madurantakam, in Chengalpattu district, has 27 candidates. The main contenders include Kumaravel, DMK’s Paranthaman, AIADMK’s Ganitha Sampath, CPI(M)’s Sugandhi and Naam Tamilar Katchi’s Janakiraman.

In Dharapuram, Tiruppur district, 22 candidates are contesting. Sathyabama faces DMK’s Sukanya, AIADMK’s Bhanumathi, Naam Tamilar Katchi’s Karthika and CPI’s Lakshmanan, among others.

Authorities deployed 2,614 police personnel and 480 Central Armed Police Forces personnel in Madurantakam, where voting is taking place at 285 stations. Around 1,000 police personnel are providing security at Dharapuram’s 320 polling stations.

Electronic voting machines, control units and voter verifiable paper audit trail machines were moved to polling locations on Monday. Armed police accompanied vehicles carrying election equipment in Madurantakam.

In Dharapuram, 1,486 personnel, including polling officials and observers, have been assigned election duties.

Polling station No. 72 at the Government Higher Secondary School in Kallapiranpuram, Madurantakam, has been earmarked exclusively for women voters.

Vijay campaigned for TVK, while DMK president M.K. Stalin, opposition leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman canvassed for their nominees.

Polling is also underway in Puducherry’s Thattanchavady constituency. Its votes will be counted on October 9 alongside those from the two Tamil Nadu seats.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman