Polling in the by-elections for Tamil Nadu’s Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly constituencies concluded yesterday, October 6. Voter turnout was recorded at 86.26% in Madurantakam and 80.30% in Dharapuram.

Voting began at 7 am in both constituencies and continued until 6 pm. Voters who arrived at polling stations towards the closing time were issued tokens and allowed to cast their ballots.

According to information from the district election office, 184,423 votes were cast in Madurantakam, which has 213,788 registered voters. Those who voted included 91,131 men, 93,258 women and 34 third-gender voters, bringing the constituency’s turnout to 86.26%.

A total of 28 candidates are contesting in Madurantakam, including Maragatham Kumaravel of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), E. Paranthaman of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Kanitha Sampath of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Suganthi of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and Ko. Janakiraman of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK).

Although voter arrivals in Madurantakam were relatively slow in the early hours, polling picked up during the afternoon. Malfunctions in electronic voting machines caused delays at some polling stations. Voting continued after replacement machines were installed.

Dharapuram has 223,306 registered voters and recorded a final reported turnout of 80.30%. The constituency has 22 candidates, including Sathyabama of TVK, Suganya of the DMK, Banumathi of the AIADMK, Lakshmanan of the Communist Party of India, and Karthika of NTK.

Objections between political parties caused temporary interruptions at some polling stations in Dharapuram. At the Kolinjivadi polling station, objections over the way an election official assisted an elderly voter led to the official being transferred to another polling station. Voting subsequently resumed.

Although turnout exceeded 80% in both constituencies, participation was lower than in the Assembly general election held in April.

After polling concluded, the electronic voting machines were transported under security to the counting centres. Counting is scheduled to begin at 8 am on October 9, 2026, with the results for both constituencies expected later that day.

Taking place just months after a new government assumed office in Tamil Nadu, the two by-elections are being viewed as significant political contests that will indicate the current level of public support for the ruling TVK and other major parties, including the DMK and AIADMK.