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JANMAT Digital utilizes salted HMAC-SHA256 privacy tokens. IP addresses and connection identifiers are hashed with a cryptographic salt; raw IPs and personal identifiers are never stored alongside ballot choices.

Can one person vote multiple times using incognito mode, multiple tabs, or bots?

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Is JANMAT Digital affiliated with the Election Commission of India (ECI)?

No. JANMAT Digital is an independent civic-tech platform providing public opinion surveys and institutional election services for RWAs, cooperative societies, trade chambers, and universities. It is not affiliated with the statutory Election Commission of India.

How can an RWA, cooperative society, or university organize a digital election?

Organizations can request a proposal or consultation through our 'Get Proposal' page. JANMAT Digital provides digital election administration, voter roster verification, secret ballot design, and verifiable tally logs.

Polling Disrupted in Dharapuram Assembly Bypoll Over Agent Presence

Polling Halted in Dharapuram Following Protest Over Agent Presence

Voting at the Kavundachipudur centre in Tamil Nadu's Dharapuram constituency was interrupted on October 6, 2026, due to a confrontation between DMK members and a TVK agent.

By JANMAT News Desk • Published: 2026-10-06 •Updated: 2026-10-06 • Source: The Hindu - National & Indian Elections

Voting operations at the Kavundachipudur polling station within the Dharapuram Assembly constituency faced a significant interruption on October 6, 2026. The disruption stemmed from a protest initiated by members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), who raised objections regarding the presence of a polling agent representing the Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) at the booth.

Nature of the Electoral Dispute According to reports from the site, the tension escalated when DMK party members identified the TVK agent, identified as Saravanan, inside the polling premises. The presence of the agent triggered immediate protests from the DMK cadre, who questioned the validity of his presence at the specific booth. This confrontation effectively halted the polling process, preventing voters from casting their ballots for a period of time while local authorities attempted to manage the situation.

Procedural Guidelines for Polling Agents Under the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines, polling agents are permitted to be present inside the polling station to monitor the proceedings and ensure the integrity of the vote. However, their appointment must strictly adhere to the statutory forms and identification requirements prescribed by the Commission. The protest in Dharapuram highlights the sensitivity surrounding the presence of party representatives in sensitive booths during the 2026 Assembly bypolls. Election officials are tasked with verifying the credentials of every agent to ensure that only authorized personnel remain within the designated polling area.

Administrative Response and Next Steps Following the disruption, local election officials and security personnel were deployed to restore order at the Kavundachipudur centre. The primary objective for the administration remains the resumption of the voting process to ensure that all eligible voters in the constituency are able to exercise their franchise. While the protest caused a temporary pause, the district election machinery is expected to review the incident to determine if any breach of the Model Code of Conduct occurred. Further updates regarding the total voter turnout and any potential rescheduling of polling hours will be provided by the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission as the situation stabilizes.