294 candidates in fray for Puducherry Assembly

• Puducherry Assembly polls see 294 candidates contesting April 9.
• Nomination scrutiny cleared 365 of 442, with 71 withdrawals now.
• Karaikal has 41 candidates; Puducherry, Mahe, Yanam have 23, 1, 1.

Puducherry, Mar 26 (PTI) As many as 294 candidates will contest in the April 9 Assembly polls in Puducherry, officials said on Thursday.

While there are 253 candidates left in the poll battle in the union

territory, comprising Puducherry, Mahe and Yanam regions, Karaikal has the remaining 41 candidates, sources told PTI.

Puducherry has 23 Assembly segments, while Karaikal has five, Mahe and Yanam regions have one constituency each.

Filing of nominations began from March 16 to 23. Scrutiny of nominations was done on March 24. Nominations of 365 candidates out of 442 were found in order. With the withdrawal of nominations by 71 candidates on Thursday (the last day to withdraw papers), a total of 294 candidates are now left in the fray, sources said. PTI COR

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