Chennai, Oct 6 (PTI) Voting in the SC reserved constituencies of Madurantakam and Dharapuram byelections in Tamil Nadu was progressing briskly on Tuesday with no major untoward incidents with Dharapuram sustaining the momentum since morning registering 37.28 percent polling, according to EC.
Polling that began at 7 am is scheduled to continue until 6 pm. An election official said the polling stations in both constituencies have been witnessing a steady footfall of voters across various age profiles since morning.
There were some minor technical glitches which the local election officials handled with brief delays at a few booths. At the Thandarai polling booth in Madurantakam, voting experienced a brief pause after opposition DMK agents protested alleging that indelible ink marks had been placed on the EVM button next to the TVK candidate’s “Whistle” symbol, potentially influencing voters.
Election officers quickly inspected the machine, cleared the issue, and resumed polling.
In the Vilvarayanallur polling station (Madurantakam), DMK cadres accused local police of allowing ruling TVK party workers to stand closer to the booth entrance than the distance strictly permitted under the Election Commission Model Code of Conduct.
A few polling stations experienced standard mock-poll delays early in the morning due to minor VVPAT or EVM connection glitches, but these were cleared by standby engineers before official voting gained full momentum.
Despite the isolated and brief interruptions, voter turnout surged dramatically as the day progressed, indicating a strong midday participation. Madurantakam registered 35.55 percent polling while Dharapuram polled 37.28 percent as per the 11 am polling percentage announced by the EC.
Dharapuram led the morning momentum with 17.55 percent voter turnout officially recorded by 9 am. The election officials noted slightly heavier queues in urban polling stations within Dharapuram town compared to smaller rural areas. Madurantakam registered 15.99 per cent at 9 am.
Long queues of women voters were the defining visual trends outside polling stations in both the rural and semi-urban pockets in the two constituencies.
Polling was progressing peacefully under heavy local police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) surveillance.
As the heat intensified in the afternoon, voting speed slowed and it is likely to pick up post lunch.
Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK if facing its first electoral battle of legitimacy following government formation in May. Its candidates K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama – both former AIADMK legislators who shifted their political loyalties to the TVK days after winning the April 2026 polls on the Dravidian party ticket, have become the cause for intense political campaigns with the opposition AIADMK and DMK accusing them of “betrayal” and involved in horse-trading.
The TVK came to power in May. Both the specific seats were won by the AIADMK in April. TVK accepted the defectors and immediately re-nominated them, even as the party has dismissed “horse-trading” charges.
A win will prove the mandate for the ruling party’s leadership, while a loss may suggest how the public views the switch as a political betrayal. TVK has 107 MLAs and heads a coalition ministry of Congress, VCK and IUML, a rarity in Tamil Nadu politics. The Left parties– CPI (M) and CPI with two MLAs each extend crucial outside support to the government.
DMK president M K Stalin aggressively assailed the TVK leadership during the election campaign, labeling the by-elections an unnecessary financial burden engineered by “political horse-trading” and “betrayal”.
For his part, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, who is facing humiliation due to the defections of the sitting MLAs under his leadership, has accused the TVK candidates of “blatantly betraying” his party and the voters who ensured their victory in the April Assembly elections. He had called upon the voters to punish the defectors and also teach a lasting lesson to the TVK for allegedly encouraging defections.
AIADMK’s S Kanitha Sampath (Madurantakam) and K Bhanumathi (Dharapuram) engaged in hectic efforts to reclaim what they consider traditional party strongholds.
The DMK had fielded I Paranthamen in Madurantakam – who has emerged as a strong Dalit voice – and S Suganya, an advocate, in Dharapuram.
The presence of the Left Front and actor-politician Seeman-led NTK have made the electoral battle a keenly watched five-corner contest. PTI JSP VGN JSP SA
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