State or local body poll, passion stays

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu electorate literally replicated their democratic enthusiasm shown in the April 13 Assembly elections during the two phases of elections to the local bodies that concluded on Wednesday. Chennai was the only exception, recording the lowest poll percentage (52 per cent).

In the second phase of elections to the local bodies on Wednesday, 80.47 per cent of voters exercised their franchise. In the first phase, 77 per cent voters cast their votes and the provisional average percentage of local body elections stood around 80 per cent.

On Wednesday, the voting percentage in urban local bodies stood at 76 per cent, while it was 78 per cent in town panchayats and 82 per cent in village panchayats.

In the Assembly elections, Tamil Nadu saw an all-time high voter turnout of 78.12 per cent with 208 constituencies recording more than 70 per cent. 

In the second phase, Karur district recorded the highest voter turnout of 88.61 per cent, followed by Tiruvannamalai (87.82) and Krishnagiri and Salem (85). Kanyakumari district polled the lowest (70.11). The polling percentages of other districts are as follows: Ariyalur (81.04), Coimbatore (80.67), Cuddalore (80.90), Dharmapuri (81.50), Dindigul (80.97), Erode (84.56), Kancheepuram (70.33), Madurai (83.67), Nagapattinam (82), Namakkal (83), Perambalur (82.49), Pudukkottai (80.40), Ramanathapuram (70.47), Sivaganga (77.27), Thanjavur (81.51), Theni (79), Thoothukudi (77.69), Tiruchy (83.80), Tirunelveli (77.64), Tirupur (81), Tiruvallur (77.48), Tiruvarur (80), Vellore (79.80), Villupuram (80) and Virudhunagar (80.40).