Statehood demand forms major poll plank, as high voltage campaign ends in Pondy, stage set for Apr 9 Assembly elections

(EMBARGO : FOR PUBLICATION, April 7 -- The much talked about demand for conferrment of Statehood status to Puducherry formed the major poll plank and dominated the high voltage campaign which came to a close on Tuesday evening, setting the stage for polling in the April 9 elections to the 30-member Territorial Assembly.

The intense campaign came to a close at 5.00 P.M. this evening, after the candidates of various parties made a last ditch effort to woo the voters by undertaking door to door campaigning.

The Election Commission has made elaborate security arrangements for the polling to be held in 1,099 booths and has put in place all basic amenities in all the polling stations for the voters.

An estimated 9.48 lakh of the total electora...