Polling for the first phase begins

Pondicherry, May 3 : Polling for the first phase elections to the territorial assembly began today at 0700 hrs on a peaceful note.

The polling will come to a close at 1700 hrs.

Mahe, Palloor and Yanam constituencies goes to polls in the first phase. Twenty one constituencies in Pondicherry region and six in Karaikal will go to the polls on May 8 in the second phase.

According to reports reaching the head quarters here, long queues were seen in front of the booths in Yanam where brisk polling is reported. The tempo of polling is picking up in Mahe and Palloor constituencies.

A total of 45,708 electorate will decide the fate of 19 candidates, including Health Minister E Valsaraj and Parliamentary secretary to the Chief Minister A V Sreedharan in this phase of polling.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure a trouble free polling in all the 50 booths. Two companies of Central para- military forces besides the personnel of Indian Reserve Battalion here and the local police have been deployed in both Mahe and Yanam regions.

UNI