Chennai, 9 October 2026: Counting of votes for Madurantakam and Dharapuram Assembly by-elections in Tamil Nadu began on Friday under a three-tier security system with early trends indicating a political battle in the state between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). AIADMK candidate K. Banumathi was ahead in Dharapuram, while TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel was ahead in Madurantakam in the latest results.
The by-elections are politically significant as they are among the first major electoral tests for TVK since the party came to power in Tamil Nadu in May 2026. The results are being closely watched for clues about the public support of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and his government, and the AIADMK will be trying to recapture those seats it lost to TVK in the April Assembly elections.
Three-Tier Security Arrangements for Vote Counting
Multi-tier security measures were put in place at both counting centres to preserve order and to ensure that the counting process is fast and orderly.
Counting for Dharapuram constituency of Tiruppur district is being conducted in LRG Government Arts and Science College. For Madurantakam, in Chengalpattu district, the location is the Integrated Social Development Training Centre at Aathur.
According to official information, the counting will start at 8 am and the postal ballots are to be counted first followed by votes recorded by the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Security personnel were in place around counting venues and restricted areas were permitted. The security measures are in place to protect the election officials, candidates’ representatives and counting staff from disruption during the process.
The counting trends are provisional and the final outcome will depend on the completion of all rounds and the official declaration of the election authorities.
Dharapuram Bypoll: AIADMK Candidate K. Banumathi Leads
In Dharapuram, AIADMK candidate K. Banumathi emerged ahead of TVK candidate P. Sathyabama in the latest reports from the counting of votes. Banumathi got 8,244 votes and Sathyabama 7,434 votes. DMK candidate S. Suganya got 6,158 votes.
Earlier counting results indicated a narrow contest between AIADMK and TVK candidates. Banumathi had 2,639 votes against Sathyabama's 2,634 votes in the first round, and the AIADMK candidate had 5 votes ahead.
The subsequent figures indicated that Banumathi's lead had widened. This is extremely important for the AIADMK which is hoping to improve its position in the state after losing seats to TVK in the last Assembly election.
Sathyabama, who had earlier represented Dharapuram as an AIADMK legislator, is now contesting on the TVK ticket. The change in her constituency’s political contest is of great importance.
The DMK candidate's vote tally is also important for assessing the relative strength of the three major parties in the region.
Madurantakam Bypoll: TVK's Maragatham Kumaravel Ahead
In Madurantakam, TVK candidate Maragatham Kumaravel had the lead in the latest reported figures. She had received 7,615 votes and DMK candidate Paranthamen 6,008 votes.
The early advantage is a good sign for TVK as it seeks to stay in power after winning the government. But at the interim stage, the margin should not be interpreted as proof of the final result.
The constituency outcome is closely watched since the by-elections come as TVK will be examining whether it can carry on momentum after its electoral breakthrough earlier in the year.
An independent candidate, Dr. G. Moorthy, also expressed concern about a malfunction of the EVM control unit at polling booth number 11, which he said was supposed to be on the spot, and asked for the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine to be brought out to be examined. The writer stated that his letter was not received and that he was confronted by media representatives outside of the counting centre.
The allegation has not been independently established in the information available. Any complaint regarding an EVM should be assessed by the competent election authorities under the applicable procedures.
DMK Complaint Against TVK Candidate
The bypolls have also attracted attention because of a complaint filed by the DMK with the Election Commission of India on October 6.
The DMK sought action against TVK's Dharapuram candidate P. Sathyabama, as she failed to disclose the expenditure of election campaign expenditure and breach of Model Code of Conduct, and alleged that she violated it.
The allegations are only claims made in a complaint and should not be taken as established violations until the election authorities have found out. But that just adds another layer to the political contest as the counting goes on.
Puducherry Bypoll: AINRC Candidate Leading Strong
Meanwhile, the Thattanchavady Assembly by-election in Puducherry also showed a solid early result for the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC).
AINRC candidate Ashok Anand, backed by the BJP and AIADMK, emerged ahead by more than 4,500 votes over Congress candidate E. Vinayagam after the second round of counting. DMK candidate Sethu Selvam was also in the race.
According to the second round count, Vinayagam has 1,222 votes and Selvam 786 votes with Anand leading by a considerable margin. The early trend is a great sign of victory for the ruling alliance in Puducherry, but the final result will depend on counting.
Why These Bypoll Results Matter
Tamil Nadu's by-elections are viewed as a test of TVK's popularity after its rise to power. A good performance in Madurantakam could strengthen the party, while an AIADMK victory in Dharapuram would benefit the opposition.
For DMK, the result is another indication of its electoral position as it competes with TVK and AIADMK. The share of votes and the final results might also help political observers to evaluate the changing political landscape of support across constituencies.
Early counting trends suggest a mixed scenario in Tamil Nadu with AIADMK's K. Banumathi ahead in Dharapuram and TVK's Maragatham Kumaravel ahead in Madurantakam. In Puducherry, AINRC's Ashok Anand has a huge lead in Thattanchavady. With counting going on very aggressively and under tight security conditions, the final result will be crucial for the outcome and will give a good indication of the political mood in the area.
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