Chennai, Apr 19 (Reporter) An estimated 51.41 per cent of the total 6.23 crore electorate have cast their ballots till 1500 hours, as the single phase Polling to elect 39 members to the 18th Lok Sabha from Tamil Nadu, began on Friday morning and is progressing smoothly, amid tight security. The polling percentage stood at 12.55 per cent in the first two hours and it picked up momentum in the next six hours. The turnout increased by nearly 38 per cent, as people braving the searing heat in several districts of the State with the temperature rising by three to five degrees, queued up at booths as the polling process gained momentum. The State recorded 40.05 per cent polling till 1.00 p.m. Talking to reporters, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo said 51.41 per cent polling was reported in Tamil Nadu till 1500 hrs. Salem recorded the highest of 60.05 per cent till 1100 hrs and Chennai Central the lowest at 41.47 per cent. While in a majority of constituencies, the voter turn out crossed the 50 per cent mark, the polling was not brisk in the three Chennai constituencies, which were considered as the strongholds of the ruling DMK. The polling was brisk right from the morning in Namakkal and Kallakurichi constituencies which recorded 59.55 and 59.05 per cent respectively till 1500 hrs. Attributing the scorching heat to the low turnout in Chennai that would have prompted the electorate to remain indoors, Mr Sahoo, however, exuded confidence that the polling percentage would increase as the intensity of the heat wave has started reducing after 3.00 pm. "We have still three hours left (for the polling to end). We hope that there will be increase in the turnout", he added. The elections process was progressing smoothly and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the State, Mr Sahoo added. In the polling to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Puducherry, 58.97 per cent of voters have cast their ballots. In the bye-election to Vilavancode Assembly seat in Tamil Nadu in the southern tip of Kanniyakumari, the turnout was 45.43 per cent. As the voting progressed across the State, more film personalities, including actor-politician and Makkal Needhi Maiam Founder Kamal Haasan, Popular actor and Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam Founder Vijay, who recently announced his political foray but chose not to contest this polls and instead focus on 2026 Assembly elections, besides actors Vaidvelu, Sivakumar and his sons Surya and Karthi, Jayam Ravi, actress-turned politician and BJP leader Kushboo, Trisha Krishnan, Gautami and Namitha of BJP, comedian Yogi Babu, film director Bharathiraaja, music maestro Ilayaraja, lyricist Vairamuthu, among others, exercised their democratic right in their respective polling booths. The fate of a total of 950 candidates--876 men and 74 women--candidates, including 609 Independents will be decided today...////...