People show their ink-marked fingers after casting votes for Punjab Municipal Corporation elections, in Amritsar, on Saturday (December 21, 2024.).
| Photo Credit: PTI
“An average of 27% polling was witnessed till 11 a.m. in the elections to five Municipal Corporations and 44 Municipal Councils and nagar panchayats underway in Punjab,” officials said on Saturday (December 21, 2024).
“The polling began at 7 a.m. amid tight security arrangements and will continue till 4 p.m., Till 9 a.m., the average turnout was 10%.” they added.
“The votes will be counted at the polling stations itself after the completion of the polling,” the officials said.
The five Municipal Corporations where the elections are being held are Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Phagwara.
“More than 3,300 candidates are in the fray for the civic polls,” the officials said, adding that a total of 3,809 polling booths have been set up.
A total of 37.32 lakh voters, including 17.75 lakh females, are eligible to cast their votes in these elections.
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being used for the polling. “Adequate security arrangements have been made,” the officials said.
The civic polls will be a litmus test for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which would like its winning momentum to continue after securing victories in three of the four Assembly bypolls in November.
These elections are important as they will reveal the popularity of the ruling party among urban voters.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held roadshows and campaigned for the AAP candidates in the run-up to the elections.
It will also be the first test for Aman Arora after he was appointed as the AAP’s Punjab unit chief. Arora took part in poll campaigning and made several promises to the voters.
The stakes are also high for the Congress, which had majority in the Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala Municipal Corporations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are also contesting the Municipal Corporation polls.
Published – December 21, 2024 09:55 am IST