The panchayat elections in Punjab, held on Tuesday, concluded amidst a tense atmosphere marked by sporadic violence, allegations of irregularities, and instances of bogus voting. While polling occurred across over 13,000-gram panchayats, the day was overshadowed by several clashes, including incidents of firing and physical altercations that left multiple people injured.

Polling began at 8 am and continued until 4 pm, with voters casting their ballots to elect both sarpanches and panches. In total, 1.33 crore registered voters, including 70.51 lakh men and 63.46 lakh women, participated in the election process. Approximately 1.05 lakh candidates contested for the posts of panch and sarpanch, with 3,798 sarpanches and 48,861 panches elected unopposed.

However, elections for 28-gram panchayats were canceled or postponed for various reasons, and the State Election Commission halted polling in Dalla and Pona villages in Ludhiana due to technical issues.

Despite extensive security arrangements, violence erupted in several districts. In Patiala, two people were injured following a clash at a polling booth in the Khunda village, where firing and stone-pelting ensued. According to the police, the violence began when a group of outsiders confronted local polling agents, leading to a heated altercation that culminated in the firing of eight rounds. The injured individuals were rushed to the hospital, with one victim, identified as Soni alias Teja Singh, sustaining a gunshot wound.

Similarly, a violent incident occurred in Tarn Taran district, where four people were injured during a clash outside a polling station in Sohal Sain village. The altercation, reportedly between two rival factions, escalated into a full-fledged fight involving firearms and sharp-edged weapons. Police quickly intervened to restore order, and the injured were hospitalized. Authorities later resumed polling after stabilizing the situation.

Tragically, two government employees died while on duty during the elections. Lakha Singh, a 53-year-old senior Sub-Inspector with Punjab Police, passed away while stationed at a polling booth in Barnala district. Another incident occurred in Jalandhar, where Amarinder Singh, a 36-year-old school teacher from Fazilka, succumbed to a heart attack on Monday night while preparing for poll duty.

As the day unfolded, reports of electoral malpractices and irregularities surfaced from various regions. In Ropar district, bogus votes were detected in the villages of Kotla Nihang and Tappriyan, leading to an immediate investigation by local authorities. Additionally, in Lohke Khurd village in Ferozepur, allegations of booth capturing were raised, with reports of ink being spilled on ballots to invalidate votes. In Amritsar, polling was stopped in two villages due to disputes over missing ballot papers.

The Congress party voiced strong concerns about the election process. A delegation led by Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of manipulating the nomination process, citing widespread irregularities and the wrongful rejection of Opposition-backed candidates. Bajwa further criticized the use of an outdated voters’ list from 2023 instead of the revised list from 2024.

Meanwhile, in some areas, Congress supporters staged protests, alleging that MLA-backed candidates, in collusion with the police, were engaging in bogus voting.

Despite these challenges, the election proceeded after the Supreme Court rejected calls for postponement, emphasizing the importance of allowing the democratic process to continue. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, ruled that halting the elections on polling day would lead to “chaos”.

As polling stations closed and counting commenced, reports indicated that voter turnout was over 45 percent. Officials worked tirelessly to ensure the security of the counting process, though allegations of irregularities persisted. In some villages, police had to fire shots in the air to disperse crowds who accused local authorities of permitting selective individuals to enter polling stations, further fueling concerns of election misconduct.

BOX

·         Firing and stone-pelting at a polling booth in Patiala left two people injured, with allegations of outsiders causing the violence

·         Four persons were injured in Tarn Taran after a shooting occurred outside a polling booth during a dispute between voters

·         SC refused to intervene in Punjab’s panchayat elections, denying a stay and terming election halting a serious issue

·         A police officer, Lakha Singh (53), died while on duty during panchayat elections in Barnala district

·         A teacher from Fazilka died in Jalandhar after suffering a heart attack while on election duty

·         Voting was paused in Mansa Khurd village after a misprint on the ballot paper was reported

·         Voting was halted in Kothe Ath Chakki village of Jagraon after a dispute

·         Elections were canceled in Pona and Dalla villages