RK Nagar bypoll: Election campaign to end today

Chennai, December 19: The campaign for the December 21 RK Nagar by-election is set to end at 5 pm on Tuesday.

The Election Commission has directed all political functionaries, party workers, etc. who have been brought from outside and who are not voters in RK Nagar, to leave the constituency immediately after 5 pm on Tuesday.

The campaign witnessed the top leaders of various parties Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam of the AIADMK, DMK leader MK Stalin and sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran--reaching out to voters with hectic campaign schedules.

With around 2,500 security personnel, over 200 surveillance cameras, 75 flying squad teams, 21 static surveillance teams, 20 monitoring teams with video recording devices and around 45 check posts, the RK Nagar by-election is the costliest in the country ever. According to a report the massive arrangements, unprecedented for a bypoll, will cost the EC Rs3 crore. Typically, around Rs60 lakh is spent on a by-election, said the report.

Polling will be held on December 21 while the votes will be taken up for counting on December 24.