The polling for the Erode East bypoll has got over at 6 pm on Monday - February 27. The scale of attention that the bypoll has drawn is now on the voters' verdict, which be declared on March 2. The voters at the constituency were queued up before the polling stations to elect their new representative to the state assembly after the demise of Congress MLA Thirumahan Everaa. 

Though about 70 candidates are vying to win the race, the major clash is between the ruling DMK and the opposition ADMK. The storm of political campaigns came to an end last Saturday and the polling began on Monday at 7 am. Lakhs of voters in the constituency came to their respective polling stations and cast their votes amidst the allegations from the opposition that the ruling DMK is rewarding the people to woo their votes. 

The voting has concluded at 6 pm after which all the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were sealed off and were placed in the strong rooms in Government Engineering College, Chithode in Erode. As there is no major anti-incumbency wave against MK Stalin's government, it has been predicted that the DMK backed Congress candidate, EVKS Elangovan, who is the father of Thirumahan Everaa, would win the race. 

According to reports, the Erode East bypoll had recorded a voter turnout of about 80% and in the wake of more number of candidates on the ballot, some areas had witnessed a voting in slow pace while there has been no major untoward incidents. The voting had happened in 238 polling stations, of which 33 were identified vulnerable owing to which there were heavy security deployment. 

Around 70.58% voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm and for the voters who came to cast their votes close to the deadline, the tokens were issued to them. The EVMs have been locked up in the heavily guarded rooms and the votes will be counted on March 2, during which the results will be declared. Amidst the voting, senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister KN Nehru said, "Chances are high for EVKS Elangovan winning the Erode East bypoll. I enquired with the party cadres in the morning. Several electorates voted for the 'hand symbol' and I believe that Elangovan will win the election in huge margin. ADMK complaints are due to fear of defeat."