Polling began on Monday morning amid unprecedented security for the one-day election to the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly.

Coverage: Assembly Elections 2006

Over 25 per cent of the 4.63 crore electorate in the state exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling.

Polling has been by and large peaceful so far, official sources said.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M Karunanidhi, Union Ministers P Chidambaram and Dayanidhi Maran were among the early voters.

While Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi and Dayanidhi Maran cast their votes in the Thousand Lights constituency, Chidambaram voted at Karaikudi in Sivaganga district.

Over 100 people protested against the omission of their names from the voters list at a polling booth in Thousand Lights constituency and blocked the vehicle of an Election Commission Special Officer who had come to pacify them.

The protestors said they had voted in the same booth during the 2004 Lok Sabha polls and were surprised to find that their names had been deleted.

At the booth where Karunanidhi exercised his franchise, the electronic voting machine malfunctioned and officials replaced it, leading to a delay of 20 minutes.

Reports from Andipatti constituency, from where Jayalalithaa is contesting, said DMK candidate Seeman allegedly barged into an all-women booth and smashed an electronic voting machine. A complaint had been lodged by the returning officer, police said.

Meanwhile, actor and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam chief, Vijayakanth, rushed to Chennai as his name did not figure in the list of voters in Virudachalam constituency, from where he is contesting. Election office sources said his name had been listed in Saligramam in Chennai, where he is residing.

Polling began on a brisk note in nine and 12 constituencices of Cuddalore and Villupuram districts respectively.

Those who exercised their franchise included former DMK ministers M R K Pannerselvam at Neyveli and Dr Ponmudi at Villupuram. AIADMK minister C V Shamugam voted at Tindivanam.

Polling crossed about 21 per cent by 10 am in Cuddalore district, election office sources said.

In Coimbatore, voting in some polling booths was delayed by ten minutes due to a technical snag in the electronic voting machines. The fault was rectified by experts. Nearly eight to 10 per cent votes was cast in the first one hour of polling in 14 constituencies of Coimbatore district, election office sources said.

Long queues were seen in front of all the booths in the city and suburbs. Women were seen in large numbers in the rural polling stations. The good turn out was attributed to people's preference to cast their votes before the heat sets in.

Tight security arrangements have been made for the elections and 198 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed along with the state police to prevent any untoward incidents.

In the city, police have deployed 15,000 of their personnel besides 1500 paramilitary forces.

Official sources said over 3,300 booths, spread over 60 constituencies, have been identified as sensitive depending on the candidates in the fray, caste or religious conflicts prevailing in the area. Nearly three lakh personnel will be on duty in 51,534 polling stations.

The ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, leading the Democratic People's Alliance, is contesting 182 seats, leaving 35 to Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, nine to Dalit Panthers of India and the remaining among various smaller allies.

In the opposition Democratic Progressive Alliance, the DMK, heading the alliance, is contesting 130 seats. Congress has been given 48 seats while Communist Party of India (Marxist) has been given 13, Communist Party of India 10 and Indian Union Muslim League two.

The polling which began at 7 am, will end at 5 pm.