Thattanchavady Bypoll Voting Begins
Polling is underway in Puducherry's Thattanchavady constituency as voters choose among 11 candidates.
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Key Points
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Authorities designated polling booths at Muthu Rathina Arangam Higher Secondary School in Koundanpalayam and the Community Hall at Poiyankulam, Vinoba Nagar, as vulnerable and provided them with additional security.
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The electorate is 305 voters larger than at the April 2026 Assembly election; of the 26,921 registered voters, 14,341 are women, 12,575 are men and five are third-gender voters. In April, 23,382 of 26,616 electors voted.
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Rangasamy has represented Thattanchavady since his first electoral victory there in 1991. In the April 2026 election, he beat E. Vinayagam by 4,441 votes; Vinayagam, then running for the Neyam Makkal Kazhagam, has since joined Congress.
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DMK president M.K. Stalin urged voters to back his party’s candidate and accused Chief Minister Rangasamy of neglecting residents and failing to make sustained efforts to secure statehood for Puducherry.
Voting is underway in Puducherry's Thattanchavady constituency, where 26,921 voters are choosing among 11 candidates in a high-stakes bypoll. Free Press Journal reports that the election was triggered when Chief Minister N. Rangasamy opted to retain Mangalam after winning both seats in April 2026, leaving Thattanchavady vacant. The NDA-backed AINRC candidate Ashok Anand faces strong competition from DMK nominee K. Sethu Selvam and Congress candidate E. Vinayagam, who is supported by the TVK.
Voting runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at 31 polling stations under enhanced security measures. Daily Hunt notes that two polling booths have been marked as vulnerable and assigned additional security personnel. Vote counting is scheduled for October 9, with results expected to reshape the political landscape in Puducherry.
A Three-Way Contest in Rangasamy's Former Seat
Chief Minister N. Rangasamy has represented Thattanchavady continuously since 1991. In April 2026, he defeated E. Vinayagam by 4,441 votes, but Vinayagam has since switched allegiance. The Congress candidate now runs with TVK support, making the seat a genuine three-way race. AINRC's Ashok Anand carries the backing of the broader NDA coalition, positioning this bypoll as a test of regional alignment.
The constituency has grown slightly since April. Today's electorate of 26,921 is 305 voters larger than April's 26,616. Women make up 14,341 voters, men account for 12,575, and five voters identify as third-gender. In the previous election, turnout reached 87.7 percent, with 23,382 of 26,616 registered electors casting votes.
DMK Calls Out Alleged Neglect Under Rangasamy
DMK president M.K. Stalin has launched sharp criticism of the Chief Minister ahead of polls. Stalin urged voters to back his party's nominee and accused Rangasamy of neglecting residents and failing to pursue statehood for Puducherry with sustained effort. The attack highlights rising tensions between the regional allies and suggests Delhi will monitor the result closely.
Security Heightened at Two Vulnerable Polling Stations
Authorities have identified two polling booths as particularly vulnerable and strengthened their protections. The Muthu Rathina Arangam Higher Secondary School in Koundanpalayam and the Community Hall at Poiyankulam, Vinoba Nagar, are both receiving added security detail. The move reflects concerns about potential disruption or unrest during the voting process, though no specific threats have been publicly disclosed.
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