Chennai: The voting for Tamil Nadu Urban Local Body elections started at 7 am on Saturday with hundreds of people gathering across the state to cast their votes in the allotted polling booths to decide on the next mayor of their district.
Around 2.79 crore voters are eligible to perform their democratic duty. There are overall 57,000 candidates in the election fray.
As soon as the polling started on Saturday, actor Vijay reached the Neelankarai voting booth to perform his democratic duty. In the elections, the actor's Vijay Makkal Iyakkam candidates are also contesting for posts in the municipal corporation, municipality and panchayat posts.
Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan, who is also the former BJP Tamil Nadu president, came to a polling booth in Virugambakkam in a saffron-clad saree and mask to cast her vote. Addressing the reporters, she said that she's proud to vote in Tamil Nadu even though she is the L-T Governor of Puducherry.
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The public has also started to cast their votes by following the COVID-19 standard operating procedure to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus. The State Election Commission has also requested the public to come and cast their votes without the fear of COVID-19 spread.
The voting is set to take place till 5-6 pm with people who tested positive for COVID-19 and the people with coronavirus symptoms casting their vote in the last hour.
To watch the live cast:
According to a report on The Hindu, around 1.54 crore people are eligible to vote for Municipal Corporation elections while 64 lakh and 59 lakh people are eligible to vote in Municipalities and Town Panchayats respectively.