75 per cent polling in Madurai West Assembly by-election

Madurai, June 26 (UNI) Under tight security arrangements an estimated 75 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the polling held for the by-election to the Madurai West Assembly constituency here today.

Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Naresh Gupta, who was camping here since the poll eve, told newspersons here that polling was peaceful, smooth and incident-free.

Compared to the 2006 polling percentage, this was five per cent more, he noted.

Though minor incidents were reported, they did not impinge on the election process, he said.

He said the officials had visited the places wherever complaints were lodged.

Mr Gupta said the demand of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) for a repoll in three booths was being looked into.

The various measures implemented in the election had ensured prevention of bogus voting, impersonation and other malpractices.

Declining to divulge the details of the new methodology introduced in this election, the CEO said some of the steps like posting of semi-static observers and a big team of identification officials as well as the security arrangements had yielded the desired results.

Counting of votes is scheduled for June 29.

Eds pls pick up suitably from earlier series UNI