Campaigning ended today for the November 19 polls to three assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in neighbouring Puducherry with AIADMK and DMK trading charges against each other and Election Commission advising voters to ensure that indelible ink is marked only in right hand while exchanging currency notes.
AIADMK treasurer and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam ended the campaign in Thirupparankundram marking culmination of hectic rounds of canvassing for his party nominees in Thanjavur, Aravakkurichi and Thirupparankundram.
In the three constituencies, AIADMK highlighted its welfare schemes and said Tamil Nadu was moving ahead in its growth path which had moved off development trajectory in the DMK regime.
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Winding up the campaign in Thanjavur today, DMK treasurer and Leader of Opposition M K Stalin hit out at Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for "only seeking votes" in her November 13 appeal without worrying about the people and their travails vis-a-vis demonetisation.
He had undertaken an intensive campaign in all the three constituencies besides the Nellithope segment in Puducherry.
While in Aravakkurichi total electorate is 2,00,347, in Thanjavur it is 2,68,516 and in Thiruparankundram 2,85,980.
Aravakkurichi has 245 polling stations, while Thanjavur 276 and Thiruparankundram 291.
In the three constituencies, over 5,000 personnel are deployed for poll related duties and there are nearly 1,000 micro observers.
All arrangements have been made for web-casting and videography and adequate number of EVMs are available. So far, 125 poll related complaints have been filed in the three constituencies and 27 persons arrested in this regard.
In Puducherry, a vigorous poll campaign for the lone Nellithope segment ended as well. Congress nominee and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy completed his campaign which was supported by DMK and VCK.
The other main contender, AINRC backed AIADMK candidate Om Sakthi Segar, too finished his hectic campaign. Prohibitory order has been clamped in Nellithope constituency to ensure smooth pollingprocess.
There are 31,366 voters in the constituency.
Against the background of people being marked with indelible ink on their right hand during exchange of currencies, Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Lakhoni sounded a note of caution for people of poll bound areas.
Lakhoni said "the electors are requested to take
precaution that even by mistake the indelible ink should not be applied on left hand while exchanging currency," indicating that if they had ink on left hand they will not be allowed to vote.
"As per the provisions of Rule 49K of the Conduct of elections Rules 1961, the left forefinger of elector is required to be marked with indelible ink at the polling stations before the elector is allowed to vote," he said adding the banks are applying the ink only on right hand.
Earlier, he had directed all outsiders to leave the constituencies when the campaign ends.
He had also said releasing results of opinion poll or holding such polls was prohibited for 48 hours, from 5 pm today till 5pm on November 19. Similarly, exit polls are banned on November 19 till 5.30 pm from the start of polling.
