A large number of French nationals arrived at the French Consulate in Puducherry on Sunday to exercise their franchise in the first round of voting to elect their next president.
Voting began at 8 a.m. at specially set up counters at the consulate and Lizzie Frances, with several senior citizens entering the polling booths at both the centres. The people sitting in wheelchairs were well guided by the staff posted there. The French Consulate said that apart from two centers in Puducherry, a polling station has been set up in Karaikal area.
According to a press release, the 2022 election will be 12 th presidential election of the 5th republic, and 11 th by direct universal suffrage. If no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round, a second round will be held. The second round is scheduled for April 24.
There are 4,564 French nationals living in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. A consulate member said the number of people who exercised their franchise in the first round of voting would be known by Sunday night. Apart from polling stations in the union territory, the consulate had set up a center in Chennai.