DMK leads in Erode bypoll as vote counting begins

Erode (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 8 (ANI): The counting of votes for the Erode (East) Assembly bye-election has begun, with DMK taking an early lead.
According to the Election Commission of India, the voter turnout was recorded at 67.97 per cent.
Early counting shows DMK's Chandhirakumar. V.C leading 6756 with 7837 votes.
Security has been significantly heightened outside the counting centre. Personnel from various law enforcement agencies have been deployed to ensure the safety and smooth functioning of the vote counting process.
According to the data from Election Commission of India, the voter turnout was recorded at about 67.97 per cent. AIADMK and BJP boycotted the bye-election on February 5, which was held in response to the death of Congress lawmaker EVKS Elangovan on December 14, 2024.
The polling in 237 polling station began at 7 AM and concluded at 6 PM across 53 locations. The voter turnout at 9 AM was at 10.95 per cent, 26.03 per cent by 11 AM, 42.41 per cent by 1 PM, 53.63 per cent by 3 PM, and 64.02 per cent by 5 PM.
There are 46 contenders in all, including MK Seethalakshmi of the NTK and VC Chandhirakumar of the DMK. There were 2,27,546 electors in all, including 1,10,128 men, 1,17,381 women, and 37 transgender people.
According to District Election Officer and Collector Raja Gopal Sunkara, electors can use any of the 12 specified documents as identification when casting their ballots if they are unable to provide an Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC).
Along with Erode, the countings for bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh's Milkipur seat and for the Delhi Assembly is also underway.
Meanwhile, as the counting began for the Delhi Assembly elections, BJP candidate from the New Delhi Assembly constituency, Parvesh Verma, on Saturday, said that it is an important day for Delhi and prayed for the formation of BJP government in the national capital.
The BJP is currently leading on 41 seats in the Delhi Assembly election results, as per the early trends from the Election Commission of India. (ANI)