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Updated At: Feb 21, 2022 06:06 AM (IST)
Polling for 117 Assembly seats in Punjab was held amid tight security arrangements on Sunday. The voting remained peaceful, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju told PTI.
A voter turnout of over 66.4 per cent was recorded, according to the Election Commission's Turnout App till 5 pm.
The voting started at 8 am and continued till 6 pm. At many places, where the voters had entered booths before 6 pm and were standing in queues, they were allowed to cast their votes.
Counting of votes will take place on March 10.
The final voting percentage, which is set to increase, will be known later after compilation of data, officials said. In the 2017 Punjab Assembly polls, the voting percentage stood at 77.4.
A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, are in the fray this time.
Gidderbaha Assembly segment recorded the highest turnout of 77.80 per cent while Amritsar South seat recorded the lowest turnout at 48.06 per cent.
Mansa district recorded a maximum voter turnout of 73.34 per cent while Mohali recorded the lowest at 53.10 per cent.
Many districts falling in Malwa region, which accounts for 69 of total 117 seats, recorded more than 65 per cent turnout.
In Majha region, Gurdaspur witnessed 64.59 percent polling, followed by Pathankot (63.89), Tarn Taran (60.47) and Amritsar (57.74).
In Doaba region, the voter turnout in SBS Nagar was 64.03 per cent, Hoshiarpur 62.91 per cent, Jalandhar 58.47 per cent and Kapurthala 62.46 per cent.
The Punjab CEO said 72 ballot units, 64 control units and 649 voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPATs) were replaced after they developed some snag.
He said there was not a single case of disruption of polling.
On law and order, Raju said, “Some minor poll-related incidents were witnessed in the state and a total of 18 FIRs were registered on the day of polling to avert any untoward incidents.”
Pick-up and drop facility was provided to people above 80 years and persons with disabilities (PwD), said the CEO. While arrangement for wheelchairs was made for elderly at polling stations, first-time voters were given certificates at the polling booths.
There were 196 pink polling stations for women while 70 polling stations are being managed by persons with disabilities (PwD).
Polled EVMs will be kept in designated strongrooms under round the clock surveillance of CCTV cameras, said the officials.
Punjab witnessed a multi-cornered contest among the Congress, AAP, SAD-BSP, BJP-PLC-SAD (Sanyukt) and the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM), a political front of various farmer bodies.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) contested the polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
The BJP fought the elections in alliance with Amarinder Singh-led Punjab Lok Congress and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa-led SAD (Sanyukt).
The SSM contested the polls with Haryana Bharatiya Kisan Union (Chaduni) leader Gurnam Singh Chaduni-led Sanyukt Sangharsh Party.
At a polling booth in Amritsar, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu and SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia came face to face and exchanged brief pleasantries. Both leaders are contesting against each other from Amritsar East.
AAP’s chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann met his mother at his native place.
Amritsar-based famous conjoined twins Sohan Singh and Mohan Singh, fondly known as Sohna-Mohna, cast their separate votes.
Sohna-Mohna had recently been handed over two separate electoral photo identity cards by Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju.
Both had turned 18 last year and voted for the first time.
The conjoined twins said they are extremely happy as both were able to exercise their voting rights.
Officials said the conjoined twins were treated as two separate voters.
The Election Commission restrained actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood from visiting polling booths in Moga following complaints that he was trying to influence voters.
His vehicle was also impounded by police, said officials.
However, Sood, who denied the charges, alleged that other candidates were trying to buy votes.
Sood’s sister Malvika Sood Sachar is a Congress candidate from Moga.
In the morning, Charanjit Singh Channi paid obeisance at religious places at his home constituency Chamkaur Sahib. He claimed the Congress will get two-third majority in the polls.
However, Channi accused the SAD and BJP of taking the support of the Dera Sacha Sauda.
“Akali and BJP partnership is out in open, both are taking support from the Dera Sacha Sauda,” Channi alleged in a tweet.
After casting his vote, SAD patriarch Parkash Singh Badal said, “I am happy that our democracy is very strong. I will continue to serve my people till my last breath.”
SAD chief Sukhbir Badal said the SAD-BSP alliance will win over 80 seats.
In Patiala, former chief minister Amarinder Singh also exuded confidence of his victory. Amarinder Singh’s wife Preneet Kaur, who is a Congress MP, said, “I always supported Captain sahib (Amarinder). It is my family and my family is above everything.”
AAP leader Raghav Chadha in his tweets alleged that at a polling booth in Guruharsahai, a sarpanch tried to influence voters. He claimed that some EVMs malfunctioned at Sanaour, Attari and Majitha.
A total of 2,14,99,804 people, including 1,02,00,996 women, were eligible to vote.
There were 24,740 polling stations, of which 2,013 had been identified as critical while 2,952 were vulnerable. PTI
Overall tally of the district - 76.20 %
Bathinda district final report- 76.20 %
As the polling booths shut their doors at 6 pm, queues of voters is still seen at majority of booths to cast their vote. Those who have entered the booths will only be allowed to exercise their franchise. TNS
Overal turnout till 5:00pm - 69.86%
Average voter turnout in Mohali district till 5:00 pm - 53.15%
Sangrur: Around 20 persons allegedly attacked the vehicle of AAP candidate from Bhadaur, Labh Singh Ugoke. Police start investigations. CM Charanjit singh Channi is also contesting from Bhadaur.
Ludhiana: With less than an hour left for polling to close, 53.9 per cent voter turnout till 5.10 pm. 14,43,978 of the total 26,93,131 exercised their franchise in the district so far. TNS
#PunjabPollsWithTribune #PunjabElections Former #Punjab CM @capt_amarinder casts vote in #Patiala pic.twitter.com/RuQ1NQN7Qc
Ludhiana: With two hours yet to go for the close of polling, the voter turnout has not even reached halfway mark in the district. With 1306374 of the total 2693131 exercising their franchise, the district reported 48.5 per cent polling till 4 pm. TNS
Average voter turnout in Mohali district till 3.30 pm 42 %
Ludhiana: With 34.2 per cent polling, 919893 of the total 269313 voters exercise their franchise during first six hours. TNS
In Guru Har Sahai AC's Booth No. 99 the sarpanch of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is escorting each voter right up till the EVM and influencing them to vote for SAD. This is an outright violation. For immediate intervention of @ECISVEEP
Reports of booth capturing coming in from Ajnala AC's Booth No. 59 by some miscreants as well as hooliganism by drunkards outside the polling station.@ECISVEEP - kindly intervene immediately.
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood took to Twitter to accuse other party candidates of trying to buy off votes. “Other Candidates in #Moga Constituency are buying votes. @ECISVEEP should take immediate action regarding the same,” he said, tagging Moga’s public relation office and police in the tweet.
Morinda: Polling stations in Chamkaur Sahib lacked provisions for persons with disabilities, voters said on Sunday. This comes despite the Election Commission’s explicit instructions to make such arrangements.
Karan Chand, 70, was seen struggling to push his wife Soni Devi, a person with a disability, to the polling station in Madauli village in Morinda.
Rural Assembly seat Samrala on top with highest voter turnout of 21.5 percent, followed by Dakha 21.2 percent, Raikot 21.1 percent, Gill 20.5 percent, Khanna 19.5 percent, Sahnewal, Ludhiana East and Payal 18.8 percent each, Jagraon 17.9 percent, Ludhiana South 16.7 percent, Ludhiana North 16.5 percent, Atam Nagar 15.5 percent, Ludhiana West 15 percent, and Ludhiana Central recorded the lowest of 14.9 percent polling till 12 noon. TNS
Ludhiana: Polling picks up as day progresses in the state's biggest and largest district with 18.4 per cent turnout reported till 12.04 pm. Of the total 2693131voters, 494952 exercise their franchise in the first four hours. Rural areas continue to lead with queues outside polling booths in most of the villages getting longer till noon. TNS
Lowest polling till now 11 am
Khanna recorded 10.6%, Samrala 10.3%, Sahnewal 9.4%, Ludhiana East 6.6%, Ludhiana South 6.8%, Atam Nagar 5.9%, Ludhiana Central 6.5%, Ludhiana West 5.6%, Ludhiana North 5.7%, Gill 8.8%, Payal 8.7%, Dakha 9.7%, Raikot 15.1%, and Jagraon reported 5.8 per cent polling in the first three hours. (Report by Nitin Jain)
Attari 9.2, Central 5.3, East 7.1, North 5.9, South 5.1, west 5.8, Ajnala 10, Baba Bkala 8.3, Jandiala 9.6, Majitha 7.8, Rajashasi 8.1
“There is no job for us and all prepare for IELTS to settle abroad. Punjab needs to provide job opportunities to the youth so that they feel secure,” said some first-time voters in the city.
In Majitha AC's Booth No 138 the EVM has malfunctioned. In Bhoa AC's Booth No 95, polling agent of Congress has placed his chair next to EVM so that he has a clear view of who is voting for which party. He isn't removing his chair despite complaints. @ECISVEEP for action pls
Khanna recorded 6.3%, Samrala 6.1%, Sahnewal 5.7%, Ludhiana East 6.3%, Ludhiana South 3.2%, Atam Nagar 3.9%, Ludhiana Central 2.8%, Ludhiana West 5.5%, Ludhiana North 4.2%, Gill 6.6%, Payal 4.9%, Dakha 6.6%, Raikot 8.6%, and Jagraon reported 3.3 per cent polling in the first two hours.
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood's sister Congress candidate Malvika Sood while voting at Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Moga city. After casting her vote she claimed that Congress will win the election with a comfortable margin.
Lowest in Kharar 0.8%, highest in Dera Bassi 3.5% and in Mohali 2.5%
Polling is peaceful across the district.
Khanna recorded 2.8%, Samrala 6.53%, Sahnewal 6.3%, Ludhiana East 4.89%, Ludhiana South 1.9%, Atam Nagar 2.5%, Ludhiana Central 5%, Ludhiana West 2.5%, Ludhiana North 2.3%, Gill 3%, Payal 2.2%, Dakha 4%, Raikot 4.4%, and Jagraon reported 4.2 per cent polling in the first hour.
DC Patiala Sandeep Hans IAS casted his vote at the booth located Income Tax in Patiala
Creche facility for voters in Sohana, Mohali
EVM not working in the following areas: Attari AC, Booth No. 197 Phagwara AC, Booth No. 119 Nihal Singh Wala AC, Booth No. 13@ECISVEEP For immediate action please
Ludhiana: Polling to 14 Assembly seats in Ludhiana district began peacefully at 8 am. First hour reported an average of less than 10 per cent turnout as most of the polling booths await voters to exercise their franchise. District Election Officer-cum-Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and his wife were the first ones to vote at GCG polling station. No untoward incident reported from any part of the district so far, reports Nitin Jain
Punjab voters: Show us the ink on your fingers and share with #PunjabPollsWithTribune Live Updates: https://t.co/nMSJI3PgkO pic.twitter.com/HPbPwP4alJ
Senior Congress leader Manpreet Badal casts his vote at Badal village in Muktsar district
The stakes are also high for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party after breaking ties with the BJP in 2020 over the farm laws issue
In all, 24,689 polling stations and 51 auxiliary polling stations have been set up at 14,684 locations
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