Erode (East) bypoll 2025: polling begins at Erode (East) Assembly constituency
The Hindu
Polling begins in Erode (East) Assembly constituency with 46 candidates, heightened security, and voting until 6 p.m.
Polling began at 7 a.m. at 237 polling stations in the Erode (East) Assembly constituency on Wednesday (February 5, 2025).
The byelection, necessitated by the death of Congress legislator E.V.K.S. Elangovan on December 14, 2024, has seen major political parties AIADMK and the BJP boycotting it, while the DMK is facing off against Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK).
A total of 46 candidates, including DMK candidate V.C. Chandhirakumar and NTK candidate M.K. Seethalakshmi, are in the fray. A total of 2,27,546 voters, comprising 1,10,128 men, 1,17,381 women and 37 third gender, are eligible to cast their vote in the constituency.
District Election Officer and Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara has said that voters who are unable to produce an Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) can produce one of the 12 listed documents for identification while voting at polling stations.
A total of nine polling booths have been identified as vulnerable, and additional security personnel have been deployed. Apart from 1,500 policemen, three companies of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel have deployed at the polling stations.
A total of 983 polling staff have been involved in conducting the poll. Webcasting is being carried out at all polling stations, while 237 micro observers are monitoring the polling process. The polling will continue until 6 p.m. Counting of votes will take place on February 8 at the Government College of Engineering, Chithode.
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