Vijay accused the state administration of mismanagement that threatened voters’ constitutional right to vote.
Thousands were stranded at bus terminals in Chennai, Coimbatore and other cities due to overcrowding and lack of services.
He also raised concerns over slow polling and warned that long delays could reduce voter turnout.
Vijay Demands Extended Polling Hours as Transport Chaos Strands Tamil Nadu Voters
TVK chief Vijay has urged the Election Commission to extend polling hours until 8 pm after severe transport disruption across Tamil Nadu left thousands of voters stranded and struggling to reach polling stations
Summary
As thousands of people were left stranded amid what he described as a “complete transport paralysis”, TVK chief Vijay on Thursday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to extend polling hours by two hours until 8 pm.
In a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik, Vijay said thousands of voters were stuck at bus terminals in Chennai and other major cities, with no buses or alternative public transport available to reach their polling stations.
“This is not a minor inconvenience. It appears to be deliberate mismanagement by the State Transport Corporation and the administration, and an outright assault on the constitutional right to vote,” he said.
He added that the “systemic failure” risked disenfranchising a large section of the electorate, undermining the free and fair elections the Commission is required to conduct under Article 324 of the Constitution.
Vijay also urged the Chief Electoral Officer to direct transport authorities and district election officials in Chennai and other affected cities to immediately deploy additional government buses, shuttle services and other vehicles to carry stranded voters from terminals to polling stations.
He further cited reports of slow polling at several booths, warning that delays could discourage voters and reduce turnout.
“In view of the large number of delayed voters caused by travel disruption, and the long queues at polling stations, voting hours should be extended until 8 pm in all affected constituencies,” he said.
Severe transport disruption on the eve of polling in Tamil Nadu left thousands stranded across the state, particularly in Chennai and Coimbatore, raising concerns over access to polling booths as voting took place in a single phase on 23 April. Long delays, overcrowded buses and a shortage of services triggered protests at major terminals, while many struggled to reach their hometowns in time to vote.
The disruption began on the night of 22 April, when large numbers of people attempted to travel from urban centres to their native districts. In Chennai, key transport hubs including Kilambakkam, Koyambedu and Madhavaram saw chaotic scenes, with passengers waiting for hours and complaining that the number of special buses was inadequate.
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The State Transport Corporation had announced around 2,000 additional services from Chennai, but commuters said demand far exceeded supply.
Traffic congestion worsened the situation, with some travellers reporting journeys of more than five hours for distances of around 35 kilometres. Many who boarded buses late on Wednesday night said they were still travelling on Thursday morning, having reached only towns such as Tindivanam or Villupuram. Journeys that would normally take a few hours stretched overnight as traffic crawled through gridlocked roads near Tambaram and beyond.
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