Chennai, Feb 5 : Polling for the Erode East bye-election commenced at 7 am today, with Erode District Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara among the first to cast his vote.

Initial reports indicate a high voter turnout, with long queues forming at several polling stations.

A mock poll was conducted at 6 am before official voting began an hour later.

The voting process will continue until 6 pm, after which the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be securely transported to Siddha Government College under heavy police protection.

The counting of votes is scheduled for February 8, with results expected the same day.

A total of 3,000 police personnel have been deployed across 237 polling booths in 53 locations throughout the constituency.

Ten of these booths have been identified as 'vulnerable and problematic,' warranting increased security measures.

The constituency has 2,27,576 registered voters, comprising 1,10,128 men, 1,17,381 women, and 37 transgender individuals.

Election Commission officials have confirmed that 246 senior citizens above 85 years old and individuals with disabilities have already cast their votes.

Special provisions, including ramps, waiting areas, drinking water, and toilets, have been arranged at polling stations for voter convenience.

To ensure a smooth election process, 24 zonal officers have been appointed to oversee polling activities.

Each officer has been provided with a vehicle equipped with GPS tracking for real-time monitoring.

The bye-election has shaped up as a direct contest between the ruling DMK and NTK after both the AIADMK and BJP withdrew from the race.

The DMK has fielded former MLA V.C. Chandhirakumar, while the NTK's candidate is M.K. Seethalakshmi, the party's women's wing leader.

The DMK, contesting this seat after taking over from its ally Congress, is confident of securing a decisive victory.

Tamil Nadu's Urban Development and Housing Minister S. Muthusamy, who is also the DMK's Erode district secretary, led the party's campaign along with local MP Prakash.

Speaking to reporters, Muthusamy expressed confidence that the DMK would win by a margin of 1.2 lakh votes.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has urged party leaders to ensure a resounding victory, with Deputy Chief Minister and DMK youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin playing a crucial role in mobilising support for Chandhirakumar.

The bypoll was necessitated by the passing of veteran Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, who won the seat in the 2023 bye-election after the untimely demise of his son, Thirumahan Everaa, due to a heart attack on January 4, 2023.

In the 2023 bypoll, Elangovan secured victory by a margin of 66,233 votes, defeating the AIADMK's K.S. Thenarassu, while NTK candidate Menaka Navaneethan managed to gather 10,827 votes.

Determined to use this election as a platform to reinforce public support, the DMK is treating the contest with utmost seriousness, even in the absence of AIADMK and BJP candidates.

A pre-election survey conducted by People Studies between January 28 and 31 among 1,470 respondents predicted a clear victory for DMK, with 59.5 per cent of voters favoring DMK, 16.7 per cent supporting the NTK, and 17.6 per cent expressing their intention not to vote.

With polling now underway, all eyes are on the February 8 vote count, which will determine the future representation of the Erode East constituency.

/IANS