Srirangam may have missed the record voter turnout mark, but it has created a record in terms of absolute number of votes polled in recent Assembly by-elections.
On Friday, it witnessed 81.83 per cent of its electors turning up.
In December 2013, Yercaud clocked 89.2 per cent, which remains the record. Yet Srirangam has overtaken Yercaud as it has seen greater number of electors exercising their franchise.
As many as 2,21,172 persons cast their votes in Srirangam, whereas, in Yercaud, the number of votes polled was 2,14,406.
In Srirangam, men voters accounted for 1,08,026; women – 1,13,138 and others – 8, according to the final figures released by the authorities on Saturday.
In the four by-elections since October 2011, Tiruchi West had recorded about 1.27 lakh votes polled; Sankarankoil - 1.6 lakh; Pudukottai – 1.43 lakh and Alandur – 2.01 lakh.
A high degree of political mobilisation and the attention paid by the poll authorities to security arrangements were among the factors cited for the high voter turnout in Srirangam.
Chief Electoral Officer Sandeep Saxena said the deployment of central paramilitary forces, along with the local police and intensive measures for voters’ education contributed to such an outcome.
R. Thangathurai, political commentator, said the AIADMK began election work weeks after the conviction of its leader Jayalalithaa in September.
“After all, Srirangam has been well nursed by the former Chief Minister,” he said.
