Dharapuram By-Election: Postal Voting Begins for Police
Postal voting for 195 police personnel has commenced in Tamil Nadu's Dharapuram ahead of the October 6 Assembly by-election.
The electoral process for the Dharapuram Assembly constituency by-election has entered a crucial phase as postal voting officially commenced on Saturday. Held at the Dharapuram Revenue Divisional Officer’s (RDO) office in the Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu, the voting process is specifically designed for police personnel to ensure they can exercise their democratic rights.
Voting Details and Participation
The polling for postal ballots began at approximately 10:00 am and is scheduled to continue until 5:30 pm. This special voting window is available to a total of 195 police personnel who reside within the Dharapuram Assembly constituency. As of the initial hours of the process, 50 personnel have already successfully cast their votes.
Officers participating in this process are arriving from various local areas, including:
- Gundadam
- Suriyanallur
- Dharapuram town
- Kondarasanpalayam
- Vengipalayam
Key Dates and Counting Schedule
The main by-election for the Dharapuram seat is slated to take place on October 6. Following the conclusion of the polls, the counting of votes is scheduled for October 9. The counting operations will be conducted at a dedicated centre established on the LRG Government Arts and Science College campus, located near the Tiruppur District Collectorate.
Notably, this by-election is being held in conjunction with the Madurantakam Assembly constituency by-poll in the state.
High-Stakes Political Battle
The contest in Dharapuram has become a focal point of intense political rivalry, stemming from a series of resignations earlier this year. Following an election loss in May, three AIADMK MLAs—Maragatham Kumaravel, Sathyabama, and Jayakumar—resigned from their positions and subsequently joined the ruling TVK party.
This shift has set the stage for a direct confrontation in the upcoming polls:
- Sathyabama is contesting the seat on a TVK ticket.
- K Bhanumathi has been fielded by the AIADMK to challenge her.
Palaniswami Slams Political Shifts
The political tension reached a fever pitch during a campaign rally on Friday. Addressing supporters for the AIADMK candidate, Bhanumathi, Palaniswami raised sharp questions regarding the ethics of Sathyabama's political transition. He questioned the propriety of a candidate who had previously secured a mandate under the AIADMK symbol switching parties before seeking a fresh mandate from the voters.
Palaniswami further alleged that Vijay is attempting to bolster the strength of the TVK by recruiting elected representatives who originally won their seats on AIADMK tickets.