Chennai Feb 19 PTI The voting in the urban civic polls in Tamil Nadu began on Saturday at 7 AM across the state amid tight police security and arrangements including ramps to ensure hassle-free experience to the differently- abled Voting began in urban regions spread across 38 districts at 7 AM with Tamil Nadu State Election Commission ensuring monitoring polling stations through web streaming and CCTV cameras and state police deploying nearly 1 lakh personnel for security Authorities said arrangements like ramps and availability of wheelchairs have also been ensured As many as 57778 candidates are in the fray for 12607 posts of ward members in 648 urban local bodies including municipal corporations municipalities and town panchayats and the voting exercise began in over 31000 polling stations In Chennai out of the 5013 polling booths 213 have been identified as vulnerable and 54 as critical and adequate security arrangements are in place police said adding as many as 390 mobile parties and a total of 22000 police personnel have been deployed here as part of efforts to ensure peaceful pollingWhile the time for voting is from 7 AM to 6 PM the last 1 hour is earmarked to people who have been affected by coronavirus In nearby Tiruvallur district voting is to elect as many as 315 ward members for 8 town panchayats 6 municipalities besides the Avadi municipal corporation In Tiruvannamalai district voting is taking place in 454 polling stations to elect 273 ward members for 10 town panchayats and 4 municipalities The ruling DMK and its allies are together fighting the polls The main opposition AIADMKs partners during the last years Assembly polls like the PMK and BJP are facing the civic polls on their own In some areas the AIADMK has allocated wards to smaller allies like the Samuga Samathuva Padai-led by former IAS officer P Sivakami However mostly they are contesting on the two-leaves symbol Sivakami is the AIADMK nominee from ward 99 of the Chennai Corporation Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam Naam Tamizhar Katchi and Makkal Needhi Maiam are among others who are in the fray Polls were announced last month by the TNSEC for a total of 12838 ward member posts in 649 urban civic bodies The 649 urban local bodies are 21 municipal corporations 138 municipalities and 490 town panchayats Subsequently polls for all the 12 wards in Kadambur town panchayat in Thoothukudi district were cancelled for violations For a town panchayat ward Kanadukathan in Sivaganga district no nominations were filed In total 218 candidates were elected unopposed PTI VGN SS SS

Chennai Nov 22 PTI Makkal Needhi Maiam president and actor Kamal Haasan on Monday said he has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been admitted to a hospital I had mild cough following my return from the USA When I tested the coronavirus infection was confirmed I have isolated myself in hospital Everyone should be on guard realising that the COVID-19 spread has not faded Haasan said in a tweet PTI VGN SS SS

Chennai Oct 29 PTI Superstar Rajinikanth on Friday underwent a procedure to restore blood supply to brain and he is recovering well a hospital here that is treating him said The top Tamil star was admitted on October 28 following an episode of giddiness the hospital said Rajinikanth was thoroughly evaluated by an expert panel of doctors and was advised to undergo Cartoid Artery Revascularisation a medical bulletin issued by Kauvery Hospital said The procedure was performed successfully today and he is recovering well He is likely to be discharged from the hospital after few days the bulletin issued by Dr Aravindan Selvaraj co-founder and executive director of the hospital said Dr J Amalorpavanathan a noted senior vascular surgeon who has served in several government medical institutions for decades told PTI that the CAR is a procedure to restore blood supply to the brain PTI VGN SS SS