LS polls: Counting of votes begins in TN, Puducherry

Chennai, Jun 4 (PTI) Counting of votes polled in the April 19 Lok Sabha elections to 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu began at 8 AM across the state on Tuesday.

Counting began amid a heavy police security in all of the 39 counting centers. Postal ballots were taken up first.

As many as 950 candidates are in the fray in the 39 Lok Sabha segments in the state, which had a voter turnout of 69.72 per cent in the April 19 single-phase election in Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, counting of votes polled on April 19 to elect the lone member from Puducherry to Lok Sabha began amid tight security on Tuesday in all the four regions of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam of the Union Territory.

Puducherry has two counting centres relating to 23 Assembly segments while Karaikal (having five segments), Mahe and Yanam regions (having one Assembly constituency each) have one counting centre each.

Counting of postal ballots was taken up first and this would be followed by counting of votes polled through EVMs.

There are 26 aspirants in the fray and the contest is between the sitting Member of Parliament V Vaithilingam (Congress) and the senior BJP leader A Namassivayam. The AIADMK`s nominee in the poll battle is G Tamizh Vendhan.

Puducherry went to parliamentary poll in first phase on April 19.

Police including the Central Armed Police force were deployed on security duty. PTI VGN SA COR ROH