Tamil Nadu local body election results 2021: Counting begins at 74 centres

The Tamil Nadu state election commission has begun counting votes polled in the rural local body elections held in nine districts in Tamil Nadu. The counting commenced from 8 am at 74 counting centres on Tuesday. The results will be declared online on the election commission website.

The rural local body elections were held for 27,003 posts in the nine recognised districts in two phases with the second phase completing on Saturday, October 9. The first phase held on October 6 saw the state register a voting percentage of 78.5 per cent. The percentage fell to 77.4 per cent (approximately) in the second phase. The elections were held peacefully apart from an incident of stabbing in Vellore.

Tight security for the Tamil Nadu local body election

The election commission has deployed 31,245 officials for counting votes. The commission had also tightened security with CCTV surveillance at each centre. A total of 6,228 police personnel have also been deployed for security arrangements. The three-tier security arrangements have been set up at all 74 counting centres.

Officials at the counting centres started by sorting out ballots polled. The sorting of the ballots for four different posts - district panchayat ward members, panchayat union ward members, village panchayat presidents and village panchayat ward members were done first in the morning. The sorted ballots were then bundled into 50 and taken to the counting arena in the presence of the candidates. Voting agents and persons authorised by the state election commission for detailed counting are also present at these booths for smooth checking of the polls. The TN Local Body Election results will be announced by the end of the day. 

Rural local body election in Tamil Nadu 2021

The rural local body elections were held for 27,003 posts in the nine recognised districts in two phases. The first phase was held on October 6 and the second phase was completed on Saturday, October 9. In the first phase, votes were cast for 78 district panchayat ward member posts, 755 panchayat union ward member posts, 1,577 village panchayat president posts, and 12,252 village panchayat ward and member posts.

Meanwhile, the second phase saw votes cast for the election of 62 district panchayat ward members, 626 panchayat union ward members, 1,324 village panchayat presidents, and 10,329 village panchayat ward members. Nearly 80,000 candidates ran and are now eagerly waiting for the results to be out.

Image: PTI