Chennai:
Brisk polling was reported in the 39 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 24 as 72.8 per cent votes were cast, the Election department has said.
There were a few stray incidents of violence.
In Puducherry, the turnout was high at 82.15 per cent.
In Tamil Nadu, women voters outnumbered men, while over 11 lakh first-time voters too participated. The 2009 Lok Sabha polls too saw polling of 73.05 per cent.
In north Tamil Nadu, poling percentage was higher at over 75 per cent, perhaps due to caste polarisation. Dharmapuri showed polling figure of nearly 81 per cent. The constituency was rocked by caste tension following the love story involving a Dalit boy and a Vanniyar girl in November 2012.
In Chennai, only 58 per cent votes were cast, the lowest in Tamil Nadu.
In the Alandur Assembly by-election, over 63 per cent votes were cast.
Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who cast her vote in Chennai, said she would reserve her comments on the polls till the results were declared on May 16.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi maintained that his party would do better than in 2009 polls.
Vijaykanth said, “victory is certain, thanks to good people’s wishes.”
PMK leader S Ramadoss said voting trends showed that people were desperate for a change.
