Amid tight security, polling for the by-election to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Tirumangalam constituency began on a peaceful note with about 15 per cent of the total 1.55 lakh electorate, exercising their votes by 1000 hrs, officials said.
They said eight companies of Central Paramilitary force and 3000 state police personnel had been deployed in the
sprawling constituency to prevent any untoward incidents.
Long queues of voters could be seen in both the town as well as mofussil area polling booths of the constituency when polling began at 0800 hrs.
The Inspector General(South Zone) Sanjeev Kumar had already warned that stern action would be taken against those trying to create trouble and violence would not be tolerated.
Every third polling stations was being observed by an additional observer. Micro observers had also been pressed
into service to monitor polling in 190 polling booths, the officials said.
The constituency is witnessing a three-cornered contest, between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's Latha Athiyaman, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's M Muthuramalingam and actor-politician Vijaykant's Desiya Morpukku Dravida Kazhagam nominee T Danapandiyan.
The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, whose member Veera Elavarasan's death necessiated the bypoll, has given the seat to its ally, the AIADMK.