Chennai, April 9 (IANS) The process of finalising candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections has reached its final stage, with the last date for withdrawal of nominations scheduled for Thursday.

Polling for the Assembly elections will be held on April 23. The filing of nomination papers began on March 30 and concluded on April 6, with submissions taking place over four working days due to intervening holidays.

A significant rise in the number of nominations was recorded as the deadline approached, reflecting heightened political activity across the state.

According to data released by the Election Commission, a total of 573 nominations were filed on the first day (March 30). This number rose to 1,361 on the second day, followed by a sharp increase to 3,430 on the third day. The final day of filing witnessed a surge, with as many as 7,599 nomination papers submitted across constituencies.

All nomination papers were taken up for scrutiny on April 7 by Returning Officers in their respective constituencies.

Following detailed verification, officials confirmed that 5,081 nominations were found to be valid, while 2,480 were rejected for various reasons. Additionally, 38 candidates withdrew their nominations after the scrutiny process.

Thursday marks the final opportunity for candidates to withdraw their nominations. The withdrawal window is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., during which candidates or their authorised agents can formally submit withdrawal requests to the Returning Officers. Once the withdrawal process concludes, the Election Commission will prepare and release the final list of contesting candidates later in the day. This list will play a crucial role in the next phase of election preparations.

Officials stated that based on the final candidate list, ballot papers carrying the names, symbols, and colour photographs of candidates will be printed for use in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Necessary arrangements are being made to ensure the timely completion of this process.

With the candidate field set to be finalised shortly, political parties are expected to intensify their campaign efforts across Tamil Nadu ahead of polling day, as the state gears up for a closely watched electoral contest.

–IANS

aal/dpb