Voting for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election began at 7 a.m. on Thursday, with large numbers of voters queuing at polling stations across Tamil Nadu under tight security arrangements.
The main contest is between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Other key contenders include Vijay’s TVK and Seeman’s NTK.
Several prominent figures cast their votes early in the day. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, Congress veteran P Chidambaram, BJP candidate Tamilisai Soundararajan, and NTK leader Seeman voted in different parts of the state. Actors Rajinikanth and Vijay also participated in the voting process in Chennai.
Union Minister L Murugan, BJP leader Khushbu Sundar, and Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik were among others who cast their ballots.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters—especially youth and women—to participate actively, calling voting a “sacred duty of democracy.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP leader J. P. Nadda also encouraged citizens to vote in large numbers.
Other notable voters included T. T. V. Dhinakaran, Kamal Haasan, Shruti Haasan, Premalatha Vijayakanth, Anbumani Ramadoss, and K Selvaperunthagai.
The state has an electorate of 5.73 crore voters, including 2.93 crore women, 2.83 crore men, and 7,728 third-gender voters. Polling is taking place at over 75,000 stations to decide the fate of 4,023 candidates contesting for 234 विधानसभा seats.
The Election Commission of India has deployed over 1 lakh ballot units, along with control units and VVPAT machines, while maintaining reserves to avoid technical disruptions. Security has been reinforced with 300 companies of Central Armed Police Forces and nearly 84,000 state police personnel.
Authorities have also ensured voter convenience by providing essential facilities such as drinking water, ramps, wheelchairs, and help desks, while strictly enforcing the ban on mobile phones and smartwatches inside polling stations.
