Puducherry, April 9 Except for minor incidents, the election for the assembly in the union territory of Puducherry was peaceful, with a voter turnout of 86.92%, officials said.
While this turnout was considered high in decades, it may further increase as the vote count was being consolidated, they added.
As the NDA is fighting to retain power, the opposition Congress-led bloc did its best to wrest power from it in the union territory, with actor-politician Vijay's TVK creating a lot of expectations. Actor-director Seeman's NTK is another party that is in the race, determined to make a mark.
Despite the scorching sun, people gathered in large numbers at the polling stations from 7 am onwards when voting began across the 30 assembly constituencies.
While voting ended at 6 pm, those who had arrived at the polling stations before the deadline to exercise their franchise were allowed to cast their votes.
There was a brief period of tension in the village of Tirukanoor, which falls under the Mannadipet Assembly Constituency, when groups of BJP and Congress workers clashed at a polling booth, and the police used batons to disperse them.
Among the important contestants are AINRC leader and Chief Minister N Rangasamy, who is facing a challenge from the Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP V Vaithilingam in the Thattanchavady constituency.
The CM is also contesting from the Mangalam seat. Leader of opposition in the outgoing Assembly, DMK's R Siva, is fighting from Villianur constituency, where M Ravikumar of AINRC is one of his rivals in the multi-cornered contest.
Puducherry Home Minister A Namassivayam (BJP) is seeking reelection from Mannadipet constituency, where T P R Selvam, former Deputy Speaker of Puducherry Assembly, is contesting on the Congress ticket.
A robot carrying a plate of flower petals welcomed voters at a model polling booth set up at VOC government higher secondary school in the Raj Bhavan constituency.
Meanwhile, a delegation of nine officials from six countries visited the VOC School and Kizhoor polling stations to familiarize themselves with the election process here.
Voting took place in 1,099 polling stations --with webcasting amenities-- and of them, 209 were under special watch as they were classified as vulnerable, and a total of 294 candidates are fighting polls, which included 40 women candidates and 117 independents.
Authorities said around 5,000 officials and 2,800 police personnel were deployed to ensure smooth and peaceful polling.
The Union Territory's electorate is 9.50 lakh strong, and there are 23 Assembly segments in the Puducherry region, 5 in Karaikal and 1 each in Mahe and Yanam enclaves, and in total, the territorial Assembly has 30 seats.
Women voters with a strength of 5.03 lakh outnumber men, who account for 4.46 lakh.