Chennai, March 27: Brisk polling was reported in the Pennagaram Assembly constituency where the by-election was being held on Saturday. Polling, which began at 8 a.m., was so far peaceful.
Till 1 p.m., 46 per cent of voters exercised their franchise. The Pennagaram constituency, part of the backward district of Dharmapuri, has a total of 2,01,008 voters, of whom men account for 1,12,892 and women 98,116.
According to the control room at the Dharmapuri district collectorate, the figure of polling was 13.2 per cent till 10 a.m.; 23.78 per cent till 11 a.m. and 29.35 per cent till noon.
Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta is stationed in Pennagaram to monitor the polling.
Besides the Central forces, three companies of the State Armed Police of Karnataka were being deployed.
In Samichettipalli (about 25 km from Dharmapuri, the police chased away a mob, who had assembled a polling booth unlawfully.
The by-election was necessitated by the death of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Member of Legislative Assembly P.N. Periyannan. The counting will be held on March 30.
—–Agencies