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Around 25 foreign nationals, including Sri Lankans and others, were detained in Tamil Nadu for allegedly voting illegally in recent elections.
A model of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) outside Election Commission of India (ECI) office, in New Delhi. (Representative Image)(PTI)Around 25 foreign nationals, including citizens of Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and Canada, have been detained or arrested at the Chennai and Madurai airports for allegedly voting illegally in the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, according to media reports.
According to a report by Deccan Herald citing officials, the individuals, all holding foreign passports, were stopped by immigration authorities and later taken into custody after indelible ink marks were discovered on their index fingers, indicating they had voted.
Legal action has been initiated against them under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and other relevant provisions, the report stated.
Investigators further noted that most of the accused are believed to be Sri Lankan nationals.
Investigations found that the accused, despite holding foreign citizenship and no longer being an Indian citizen, had allegedly stayed in different parts of the state to cast votes illegally, according to a PTI report citing a police statement.
Investigators suspect that several more foreign nationals who entered the country during the election period may have voted and remained in India, aware that authorities were verifying passengers’ credentials at airports during departure checks.
Based on intelligence inputs that some foreigners were trying to leave the country after voting, law enforcement agencies alerted officials at airports in Chennai, Madurai, and other cities. Most of the detentions were made in Chennai.
Two foreign nationals were found to have allegedly cast votes in the Puducherry Union Territory. While polling in Tamil Nadu took place in a single phase on April 23, elections in Puducherry were conducted on April 9.
According to a report by The Hindu, a man of Indian origin who acquired a British passport in 2015 allegedly voted in the Pattukottai Assembly constituency. He was detained at Chennai International Airport while attempting to board a flight to London.
The 2026 Tamil Nadu elections were registered in history books after the state declared an unprecedented mandate for Vijay. While TVK ended up winning 108 out of 234 seats in its maiden political stint, it was for the first time in the history of state politics that both legacy 'Dravidian' parties were ousted from power.
However, Vijay couldn't attain a majority on its own and was later offered support by Congress (5), CPI-M (2), CPI (2), VCK (2) and IUML (2), which were earlier the allies of DMK.
(With inputs from PTI)
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