Chennai, May 4 (IANS) A massive multi-tier security apparatus was put in place across key counting centres in Chennai on Monday as authorities geared up for the counting of votes in the high-stakes Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

At Loyola College, one of the main counting hubs, a three-layer security arrangement was deployed, with dozens of police personnel stationed at entry points. Barricades were erected outside the campus, and every vehicle entering the premises was subjected to thorough checks, reflecting the heightened vigilance surrounding the counting process.

Officials said similar elaborate security arrangements have been implemented at other major counting centres, including Queen Mary’s College and Anna University, where Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been securely stored following polling.

Across the state, counting began at 8 a.m. with postal ballots, followed by EVM votes from 8.30 a.m., under strict monitoring by election officials, observers and security personnel.

The Election Commission of India on Sunday reiterated its commitment to maintaining the “highest standards of transparency, security and efficiency” during the counting process.

The exercise is being closely watched not only in Tamil Nadu but also in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry, where Assembly election results are being declared simultaneously, along with bypolls in seven constituencies across five states.

In Tamil Nadu, a total of 4,87,98,833 voters — representing a turnout of 85.10 per cent — cast their ballots, setting the stage for a crucial political verdict.

The results are expected to determine whether the state’s long-standing Dravidian political dominance, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its offshoot All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, will continue or face disruption. Adding a new dimension to the electoral contest is actor-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, which is making its Assembly election debut and is widely seen as a potential game-changer.

With tight security and intense political anticipation, Tamil Nadu now awaits a decisive mandate that could reshape its political trajectory.

–IANS

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