Examination of the detailed results of the 234 constituencies revealed that in 218 constituencies only the top two candidates secured their deposits. In two constituencies the top four got back their deposit money.

In 14 constituencies, the top three candidates had secured one sixth of the total votes polled to retain their deposits.

This means that 536 candidates who finished in the top two got their deposits back, like eight candidates in the top four and 42 candidates who finished among the top three.

In a majority of constituencies, candidates of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam finished third, though they too lost their deposits.

Prominent among those who forfeited their deposits included H Raja of BJP, who finished a poor fourth behind DMDK at Alandur, Latchiya DMK leader Vijaya T Rajenthar at Mayiladuthurai, former Minister in the MGR Cabinet H V Hande (BJP), Janata Party State leader and former bureaucrat V S Chandralekha (Mylapore), forest brigand Veerappan's wife V Muthulakshme (Pennagaram), the blue-eyed boy of late MGR and a close confidante of late G K Moopanar, Mr J C D Prabhakaran (Dindugul), former AIADMK Miniser K P Rajendra Prasad and former BJP MLA C Velayutham (both Padmanabhapuram), P C N Thilak Kumar of AIADMK (Tiruvattar), Pon Vijayaraghavan of NCP (Vilavancode).

However, the tale of woe of 1222 Independents was no different this time compared to the last election, as only one managed to emerged victorious, when CPI-M rebel T Ramachandran won from Thalli.

Save for the success of Mr Ramachandran, a majority of the remaining candidates bit the dust and lost their deposits.

UNI GV AA VD VC1950