Coimbatore : With initial reports of malfunctioning of EVMs, the voters were seen in long queues to exercise their franchise for the 17th Lok Sabha in the region, even as there were heated arguments in a booth in Tirupuir, when AIADMK candidate lifted two fingers–victory sign-but representing the party symbol of two leaves.
     
There were reports of EVM malfunctioning in a coupleof  booths in the city and also in Tirupur, resulting in delay in the poll process. However, the fault was rectified and the people started casting their votes..
    
Meanwhile, there was heated argument between AIADMK and other opposition party workers, when AIADMK candidate M S M Anandan raised two fingers, after casting the vote inside the booth, while posing for photographers. Oppositiuon parties raised objection and argued with election department officials and AIADMK workers, resulting in tense moment for some time.
  
However, the officials managed to pacify the agitators, easing tension, police said.
      
A section of voters in Palladam in nearby Tirupur district boycotted the election process in protest against a local issue.
    
Meanwhile, all the top leaders in the region stood in the queue to press the button of EVMs.  Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy was in queue for nearly 20 minutes in Siluvapalayam polling booth in Salem District to cast his vote at 7.50 AM.
   
 An elderly man, Krishnan swooned and died after casting his vote near Vedapatti booth in Salem, police said.
    
State Ministers, S P Velumani, Udumalai Radhakrishnan, Deputy Speaker Pollachi V Jayaraman, Candidates, P R Natarajan and Shanugasundaram were among those who exercised their franchise.
    
Coimbatore registered 39.67 per cent and Pollachi 36.29 per cent votes at 1 PM, official sources said.