Over 30% polling till 11:30 hrs in Puducherry

Voters turned up in large numbers at the booths despite rains in urban & rural areas

More than 30 per cent of the 9.41 lakh voters cast their franchise in Puducherry till 11.30 hrs on Monday. Voters turned up in large numbers at the booths despite rains in urban and rural areas.

Police were deployed in good strength in addition to personnel from Central Armed forces.

Physically challenged voters were helped by student volunteers to cast their votes.

Tension prevailed in a booth in Sorapet village in Tirubhuvanai reserved constituency, when a group of villagers registered strong protest against the alleged assault of a local youth by a police officer.

They alleged that the officer dragged out the youth from his house for possessing a bunch of voters slips.

However, police sources denied the allegation and said that the police were only asking the volunteers of political parties to remain beyond the 100 metre limit.

There was no disruption of polling in the booth, Election Commission officials said.

Rains in Puducherry did not affect the polling.