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The process of collecting postal votes from government employees, teachers, journalists, and other personnel engaged in essential election duties has commenced across Tamil Nadu on Friday.
Postal voting has been initiated at the offices of the Returning Officers for officials, including government staff, media personnel, fire and rescue services, and police personnel who will be on election duty. As part of this, officials from various departments involved in election work are casting their votes today at the Revenue Divisional Officer's office in Tiruchirappalli. Since many of these personnel will be deployed outside their respective constituencies or will be on duty on polling day, special arrangements have been made to facilitate postal voting for them. As permitted by the Election Commission, government officials, media personnel, police, fire service staff, and other essential workers engaged in election duties are exercising their franchise through postal ballots. This comes ahead of the single-phased Tamil Nadu Assembly elections on April 23, with counting of votes on May 4. Tiruchirappalli West Assembly constituency is heading into the April 23 polls as one of the most closely seat with DMK's KN Nehru, a Cabinet minister seeking a fourth term from this seat against AMMK Rajasekaran, who represents NDA and the entry of TVK's G Ramamoorthy, making this a genuinely three-cornered contest for the first time in the seat's recent history. Meanwhile, Tiruchirappalli East Assembly constituency is set for a high-voltage contest between TVK chief Vijay and incumbent DMK MLA Inigo S Irudayaraj, who won in 2021. Earlier on April 12, Deputy Election Commissioner Bhanu Prakash Yeturu chaired a high-level meeting in Tiruchirappalli to review poll preparedness ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The meeting, held at the Trichy District Collectorate, was attended by Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik along with senior election officials from 11 districts, including Trichy, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Karur, Salem, Thanjavur, and Tiruvarur. Senior police officials, including Inspectors General of Police, Superintendents of Police, election observers, and expenditure observers, also participated in the discussions. The meeting focused on ensuring seamless coordination between civil and police administration for the smooth conduct of elections. Discussions during the meeting focused on ensuring comprehensive preparedness for the upcoming elections, with particular emphasis on security arrangements. Officials reviewed measures to be implemented at polling stations and counting centres to ensure smooth and orderly conduct of the electoral process. (ANI)
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