R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, APR 23
In a high-voltage political intervention amid the Tamil Nadu polls, actor-turned-politician and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking a two-hour extension of polling hours citing widespread transport disruptions and long queues at booths.
Pointing to “traffic paralysis” and lack of public transport, Vijay said thousands of voters—many of whom travelled from other states and cities—remain stranded at major bus stations across Tamil Nadu, unable to reach polling booths in time.
- C. Joseph Vijay flags transport chaos, urges urgent ECI intervention
- Alleges “purposeful misplanning” leaves thousands stranded at key bus terminals
- Calls for emergency buses, tighter booth supervision and smoother queue management
- Demands polling be extended till 8 pm to protect voters’ constitutional rights
Accusing the state-run transport corporation of “purposeful misplanning,” he termed the situation “an outright assault on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed under the Constitution of India.”
Requesting an extension, Vijay wrote:
“This extension is well within the Commission’s powers and has been exercised in the past for far lesser disruptions. It is essential to allow every voter who reaches the polling station premises by the revised closing time to cast their vote without compromise.”
In his detailed letter, Vijay highlighted chaotic scenes at Chennai’s Koyambedu, Kilambakkam, and Madavaram bus terminals, where large numbers of voters were left stranded due to heavy requisitioning of buses for poll duty without alternative arrangements.
He urged the ECI to act on three immediate fronts—deploy emergency public transport, streamline polling through supervisory oversight, and extend voting hours till 8:00 pm.
“Thousands of citizens who have travelled from all over the world and from various states and from within the cities of Tamil Nadu are attempting to travel to exercise their franchise have been left helpless due to the heavy requisitioning of buses and vehicles for poll duty without parallel arrangements for ordinary voters,” he wrote.
Flagging delays at polling stations, Vijay added that long queues and slow voting processes risk discouraging turnout, calling for designated officers to ensure efficiency at booths.
He warned that failure to act could undermine democratic confidence:
“The right to vote is the bedrock of Indian democracy. Any failure to act swiftly today on the above aspects will not only suppress voter turnout but will erode public faith in the electoral process itself. The Election Commission cannot remain a mute spectator while thousands are denied their constitutional right on polling day.”
Here is the letter he wrote to the Election Commission in full:’
— TVK Party HQ (@TVKPartyHQ) April 23, 2026
Subject: Urgent Intervention Required – Deploy Emergency Public Transport for Thousands Stranded at Bus Terminals in Chennai and Other Cities; Extend Polling Hours by 2 Hours to Safeguard Democratic Rights and Ensure Smooth Queue Management.
Respected Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you in a state of deep concern and indignation over the complete transport paralysis – Thousands of voters are stranded at bus terminals in Chennai, and similarly in other metro cities across Tamil Nadu, with no buses or alternative public transport available to reach their designated polling booths. This is not a minor inconvenience-it seems an intentional attempt of misplanning by the State Transport corporation and administration which is an outright assault on the fundamental right to vote guaranteed under the Constitution of India.
The scenes at Chennai’s Koyambedu, Kilambakkam, and Madlavaram bus stands, and equivalent terminals elsewhere, are unacceptable on election day. Thousands of citizens who have travelled from all over the world and from various states and from within the cities of Tamil Nadu are attempting to travel to exercise their franchise have been left helpless due to the heavy requisitioning of buses and vehicles for poll duty without parallel arrangements for ordinary voters. This systemic failure has the potential to effectively disenfranchise a large section of the electorate, striking at the very heart of free and fair elections that the Election Commission is constitutionally mandated to conduct under Article 324.
I therefore request a decisive action on three urgent fronts:
1. Direct and deploy emergency public transport services forthwith: The Election Commission must direct state transport authorities and district election officers in Chennai and all affected cities to immediately press additional government buses, shuttles, and other vehicles into service exclusively for ferrying stranded voters from bus terminals to polling stations. This must be done within the next few hours through coordinated announcements at terminals, via media, and through the ECI’s own apps and helplines. No voter should be turned away or forced to miss their democratic duty due to administrative negligence.
2. There are reports from polling stations of voters waiting in long queues to cast their votes, but the polling process is slow. Such delays would discourage and may affect voter turnout. There should be a designated supervisory officer to visit polling booths regularly and ensure that the voting process is conducted efficiently and without unnecessary delays.
3. Extend polling hours by two hours: In view of the large surge of delayed voters due to travel disruptions and long-queue waiting imperatives, polling must be extended till 8:00 pm across all affected constituencies. This extension is well within the Commission’s powers and has been exercised in the past for far lesser disruptions. It is essential to allow every voter who reaches the polling station premises by the revised closing time to cast their vote without compromise.
The right to vote is the bedrock of Indian democracy. Any failure to act swiftly today on the above aspects will not only suppress voter turnout but will erode public faith in the electoral process itself. The Election Commission cannot remain a mute spectator while thousands are denied their constitutional right on polling day.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
C. Joseph Vijay
