First phase civic polls begin amid tight security

Chennai, Oct 13 (UNI) With high stakes for the ruling DMK and the Opposition AIADMK, polling in the first phase of elections to local bodies in Tamil Nadu began here this morning under a thick security blanket.

Polling was by and large peaceful though there were reports of booth capturing and clashes between the DMK and the AIADMK workers in several wards in the city, eyewitness reports said.

Polling was being held to fill up 67,760 posts, a majority of them in rural areas, to elect 50,739 panchayat ward members and 6,557 panchayat presidents.

Also going to polls were Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, and Tirunelveli Corporations, 45 municipalities, 23 third grade municipalities and 281 town panchayats.

A record number of about one lakh police personnel, including about 20 companies drawn from the neighbouring states, were deployed on security duty to ensure a free and fair and peaceful polling.

The services of about 20,000 ex-servicemen, 20,000 NSS volunteers, 500 forest personnel, 1,100 fire servicemen, 9,000 home guards and 2,000 retired police personnel would be utilised for poll-related work.

Besides, about 1,600 personnel from the special units of the Tamil Nadu police would be involved.

Polling was being held in 42,206 booths of which 5,423, including 1,100 in Chennai city, had been identified as sensitive.

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