By-elections begin in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Puducherry

By-elections concluded peacefully on Tuesday across two Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry, with all three segments recording voter turnout exceeding 80 per cent. The polls are being viewed as a test of popularity for the incumbent coalition governments—the TVK-led regime in Tamil Nadu and the AINRC government in Puducherry.

In Tamil Nadu, the Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies, both reserved segments, registered turnout of 86.26 per cent and 80.30 per cent respectively, according to election authorities. However, voter participation declined compared to the April Assembly elections held earlier this year. Madurantakam and Dharapuram had recorded 92.28 per cent and 88.92 per cent turnout respectively during the April polls.

The results will serve as a measure of public perception of the 4-month-old TVK government headed by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. The Chief Minister addressed public meetings in both constituencies and conducted extensive roadshows in Madurantakam and Dharapuram, signalling the political significance he attached to these by-elections.