Tamil Nadu Election 2026 Live Updates: 83.7% turnout masks drop in total votes across city constituencies

Tamil Nadu Election 2026 Live Updates: Tamil Nadu witnessed over 56 per cent polling on Thursday as voting continued across all 234 Assembly constituencies.According to Election Commission of India (ECI) data, voter turnout stood at 56.81 per cent till 1 pm.District-wise, Tiruppur recorded the highest turnout at 62.97 per cent. Chennai registered 54.58 per cent, while Madurai recorded 54.75 per cent. Coimbatore saw 58.24 per cent polling and Tiruchirappalli district recorded 57.66 per cent, indicating steady voter participation across urban and semi-urban regions.In Chennai’s Kolathur constituency, where DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin is contesting, polling stood at 56.59 per cent till 1 pm. Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni recorded 53.55 per cent turnout, where Deputy Chief Minister and Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin is seeking re-election.In Edappadi constituency in Salem, voting touched 60.98 per cent. AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is contesting from his traditional stronghold and faces competition from DMK, while actor Vijay’s TVK is backing an independent candidate after the party nominee’s papers were rejected during scrutiny on technical grounds.In Tiruchirappalli East constituency, where Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief Vijay is contesting, polling stood at 55.95 per cent till 1 pm.Meanwhile, tensions were reported in Coimbatore after clashes broke out between DMK and BJP workers at a polling station in Gandhimanagar.The confrontation began after DMK workers allegedly intercepted BJP district president Ramesh Kumar and engaged in a verbal spat with him. According to sources, Ramesh Kumar was visiting multiple polling stations in a Election Commission-authorised vehicle to monitor polling progress. As he reached the government school polling station in Gandhimanagar, police permitted his vehicle to enter the restricted area near the booth.However, a group of over ten DMK workers, led by a man identified as Manikandan, stopped Kumar’s vehicle and questioned his presence, asking who had authorised his entry.The situation escalated further when BJP leaders raised objections over the police deployment at the spot. Kumar also expressed anger over a hotel near the polling station remaining open and alleged that DMK workers were consuming alcohol in public view.Although BJP workers initially detained some DMK members and handed them over to police, it was alleged that the accused were allowed to leave shortly afterwards by the officers.