Puducherry to vote today for 30 seats to elect new assembly

The electorate comprises 5,39,125 female voters, 4,74,788 male voters, and 157 voters belonging to the Third gender category. Out of this, 24,156 voters belong to the age group of 18-19 years, while 6,034 voters belong to the senior citizen category (aged 85 and above)

Speaking with ANI, Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer P Jawahar shed light on the preparations for the polls. He said that 110 sector officers have been deployed across 1,099 polling stations, out of which 209 stations are categorised as vulnerable with central armed police force deployment.

He added that drones, flying squads and helplines are being used to track violations.

"The Election Department of Puducherry, through its district and returning officers, has made extensive arrangements. Logistics are crucial, with polling parties and materials being dispatched to stations on time. This process is tracked using drones and 110 sector officers across 1,099 polling stations... On security, multi-level measures are in place. Of these, 209 polling stations are categorised as vulnerable, where central armed police forces are deployed alongside local police to prevent incidents," he said.

"Enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct is strict during the 48-hour silence period. Campaigning is banned, liquor outlets are closed, and inducements are closely monitored. Drones, flying squads, and the helpline are used to track violations in real time... Technology plays a key role, especially in regions like Mahe and Yanam, which are far from Puducherry. Drone feeds from these areas are monitored live in 4K quality," he added.

In Puducherry, the contest involves the ruling NDA, which includes the All India NR Congress, the BJP and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is seeking to make it triangular.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) includes the All India N R Congress (AINRC) led by Chief Minister N Rangasamy, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, the BJP contesting 10 seats, and both the AIADMK and LJK, each contesting two seats.

The INDIA bloc includes Congress, which is contesting 16 assembly constituencies, and the DMK, contesting 14 seats. VCK, which is part of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) in Tamil Nadu, has decided to contest on three assembly seats in Puducherry independently after being offered only one.

During the campaigning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress-DMK alliance and accused them of prioritising dynastic politics while ignoring governance. He said internal conflicts within the Opposition bloc reflected their lack of commitment to public welfare, even as they continued to seek electoral gains.

On the other hand, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Puducherry government is "imposed from Delhi" and does not represent the will of its people.

He also accused the BJP of failing to grant full statehood and fostering corruption in the Union Territory.

Meanwhile, TVK chief Vijay launched a sharp offensive against the established political fronts in the union territory, calling the AINRC-BJP combine "tired" and DMK-Congress "confused".'

Taking another dig at the alliances, Vijay asserted that voting for either of the two is "a waste" and emphasised that Puducherry needs good governance.

In the 2021 Puducherry Assembly Elections, AINRC emerged as the largest party with 10 seats, followed by DMK with six seats, while BJP and Congress won six seats each. The voter turnout was recorded at 84.8 per cent.

While in the 2016 elections, Congress had secured a majority with 15 seats, AINRC won eight seats, AIADMK bagged four seats, and DMK got two seats, with voter turnout at 83.6 per cent.

The current term of the 30-member Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory is set to expire on June 15. The counting of votes will be held on May 4, the ECI announced. (ANI)