Presidential Polls: Did Puducherry MLAs, MP wait for an auspicious time to vote?

Presidential Election 2022: All the 30 MLAs and the lone Member of Parliament from the Union Territory of Puducherry only cast their votes in the Presidential elections only after 12 noon. It is believed the inauspicious period of `Yamagandakalam` is between 10.30 a.m. to 12 noon and all the people`s representatives waited for this time to pass before entering the voting hall in the Legislative Assembly compound. AMH Nazeem of the DMK was the first to cast his vote in the Presidential elections minutes after 12 pm and was followed by the Leader of Opposition R. Siva of the DMK and other members of the opposition, which comprises six DMK and two Congress members. The lone MP, V. Vaithalingam of the Congress also voted.

The ruling NDA members, including 10 MLAs of the All India NR Congress (AINRC), led by Chief Minister, N. Rangasamy, and six BJP MLAs voted after the opposition members cast their votes. Speaker R. Selvam also cast his vote.

The six independent MLAs also cast their votes.

The lone Rajya Sabha MP from the Union Territory, S. Selvaganapathy of the BJP cast his vote in the parliament.

Polling concluded with over 99% turnout

After the day's polling, the Election Commission said over 99 per cent of the total electors had cast their ballot.

In Delhi, voting ended with 98.90 per cent of the electors permitted to vote in Parliament House exercising their franchise, said Returning Officer PC Mody.

Briefing reporters after the voting, he said 736 electors -- 727 MPs and nine MLAs - had been permitted by the Election Commission to vote at Parliament House. Eight MPs, including BJP's Sunny Deol, did not cast their vote.