The byelection to the high-profile Srirangam Assembly constituency, which fell vacant after conviction of former chief minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha in a disproportionate assets case, will be held on Friday under high security cover.
Polling would be held in 322 stations and a total of 2.7 lakh electorate, including 1.37 lakh women, would exercise their franchise.Though there are 29 candidates in fray, the election will be a four-cornered contest between the AIADMK, the opposition DMK, the BJP and the CPM. Key political parties like NDA’s estranged allies MDMK led by Vaiko and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), chose to boycott the polls and said they would not support any other party. The Congress and the Tamil Maanila Congress of former Union Minister G K Vasan, too, took a similar stand.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission had used the technology to the optimum level by launching android-based app to enable the voters to register their complaint of any malpractices. Following complaints from opposition parties, 15 Flying Squad Teams, 12 Static Surveillance Teams and 12 Video Surveillance Teams have been formed for monitoring and curbing the distribution of money, gifts for voters.
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