Visually impaired people show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting votes during elections in Punjab for five municipal corporations and 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, in Amritsar on Saturday (December 21, 2024).
| Photo Credit: PTI
An average turnout of 41% was witnessed till 1 p.m. in the elections to five municipal corporations and 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats 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 1 p.m., the average turnout was 41%. Votes will be counted at the polling stations after the completion of voting,” 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 and 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 vote in these elections. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being used for polling.
Braving the morning chill, voters queued up at polling booths to cast their votes.
Among political leaders who exercised their franchise were BJP’s Tarun Chugh, Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Ludhiana MLA Ashok Prashar and Jalandhar Cantt. MLA Pargat Singh.
In Patiala, the BJP alleged that fake voting was underway at the behest of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
BJP leader Jai Inder Kaur alleged that some outsiders were roaming around and demanded police action against them.
BJP candidate from ward number 34 in Patiala Sushil Nayyar threatened to self-immolate after alleging that fake votes were being cast at a polling booth.
After Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh reached the spot, Ms. Kaur and BJP supporters were seen arguing with the officer and claiming that some people were being allowed to enter polling booths without proper verification and they were casting fake votes.
“Nobody was stopping them. And who is responsible for it?” asked a BJP supporter.
“Videography of polling is taking place,” the SSP responded.
Earlier, Kaur, the daughter of former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, alleged that AAP MLAs Chetan Singh Jauramajra and Gurlal Ghanaur were outsiders to ward number 40 but were present in the area.
In Patiala, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed that its booth in ward number 15 was vandalised.
The civic polls will be a litmus test for the 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.
In the run-up to the elections, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held roadshows and campaigned for AAP candidates.
It will also be the first test for Aman Arora after he was appointed the AAP’s Punjab unit chief. Mr. Arora took part in the poll campaign and made several promises to the voters.
The stakes are also high for the Congress, which has a majority in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala municipal corporations.
The BJP and the SAD are also contesting the polls.
Published – December 21, 2024 04:27 pm IST