Final phase polling begins in Pondicherry

Pondicherry, May 8 : Polling for the second and final phase of elections to the Territorial Assembly began at 0700 hrs on a peaceful and a brisk note here this morning.

Twenty-one constituencies in Pondicherry and six in Karaikal region of the union territory are going to polls today in the final phase.

Elections to Mahe, Palloor and Yanam constituencies were held in the first phase on May three.

Polling was brisk in rural areas and long queues, particularly of women, could be seen before the booths. However, it was dull in urban and semi-urban areas and is expected to pick up later in the day.

A total of 6,13,654 electorate will decide the fate of 199 candidates in the fray, including three former Chief Ministers and Puducherry Munnetra Congress Founder-President P Kannan in this phase.

As many as 2,223 police personnel, including Central paramilitary forces, have been deployed on election duty.

For 94 booths in Pondicherry and Karaikal, identified as sensitive and hypersensitive, extra security had been provided.

Besides, arrangements are in place to photograph all the voters exercising their franchise in these booths. The polling will come to a close at 1700 hrs this evening.

UNI

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