More than 60 per cent, out of 7.68 lakh eligible voters, on Monday exercised their franchise in 11-hour-long polling process to seal the fate of as many as 33 candidates of Punjab’s four assembly segments in the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Amidst stray instances of minor scuffle and clashes, 62.33 per cent (as per figures available till the filing of the report) polling was reported on Monday in the bypoll to Dakha, Mukerian, Phagwara, and Jalalabad Assembly constituencies in the State.
The results of the elections will be declared on October 24, Thursday.
Maximum 71.64 per cent polling was witnessed in Dakha assembly segment from where Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s close aide Capt Sandeep Sandhu has taken his first politival plunge, against SAD’s former MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali. In 2017, a polling percentage of 81.52 percentage was recorded in Dakha when Aam Aadmi Party’s HS Phoolka emerged the winner.
About 70 per cent polling percentage was recorded in Jalalabad, against 86.91 per cent recorded in 2017 elections. In Mukerian, the polling percentage is 57.28 per cent against 72.54 per cent in 2017, while 49.96 per cent polling was witnessed in Phagwara against 72.68 per cent during 2017 elections.
The polling, which began at 7 am at a slow pace, continued even after the 6 pm deadline as the voters who had queued up earlier were allowed to cast their vote for the total 33 candidates who are in fray in four segments.
Long queues of voters were seen at some polling stations, especially in rural areas, while at some polling stations, there were no voters in the afternoon.
“The election to the four assembly constituencies ended peacefully.
We are expected that the poll percentage of 62 per cent would increase further as the latest updated reports are expected from many areas,” said an election official.
The official said that there was no report of any untoward incident in all the four assembly segments.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh also urged voters to judiciously exercise their franchise. “As Dakha, Jalalabad, Mukerian, and Phagwara go to polls today, I urge the voters of these four assembly constituencies to judiciously exercise their most important democratic right & fulfil their duty by voting for a strong and prosperous
Punjab,” Capt Amarinder said in his tweet.
During previous elections, the SAD-BJP combine had bagged two of the four assembly segments—Jalalabad and Phagwara, while one each was won by the Congress (Mukerian) and the AAP (Dakha).
This time, the main contest is between the Congress and the SAD-BJP combine.
While the SAD is contesting the Jalalabad and Dakha seats, its ally BJP has fielded candidates in Phagwara and Mukerian.
On the Dakha seat, the Congress has fielded Capt Sandeep Sandhu, political secretary to the Chief Minister. The SAD nominee from the seat is former MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission, in its orders on October 20, issued directions that the Deputy
Inspector General of Ludhiana Range would take over supervision of the model code of conduct and other security measures from the SSP (Rural) in Dakha assembly constituency.
The commission has also directed the DIG to keep a watch over the activities of the SSP (Rural) in Ludhiana.
The Akali Dal has lodged a complaint against the SSP (Rural) and sought that he be replaced, SAD senior vice-president Daljit Singh Cheema said on Monday.
The SAD has also complained against Congress MLA Kulbir Singh Zira for allegedly “intimidating” voters of Dakha assembly segment.
The Dakha seat fell vacant following the resignation of former AAP leader and noted Supreme Court lawyer HS Phoolka from the state assembly.
In Phagwara (reserve), the main contest is between Congress candidate and former IAS officer BS Dhaliwal and BJP’s Rajesh Bagha. Besides, the AAP, BSP and the Lok Insaaf Party have also fielded their candidates.
The Phagwara seat fell vacant after sitting MLA Som Parkash was elected to the Lok Sabha from Hoshiarpur.
In Jalalabad, there is a straight contest between SAD’s Raj Singh Dibipura and Congress’s Raminder Singh Awla.
The seat fell vacant after sitting MLA and SAD chief Sukhbir Badal was elected to the Lok Sabha from Ferozepur parliamentary segment in the 2019 general election.
From Mukerian, the BJP has fielded Jangi Lal Mahajan. The Congress nominee is Indu Bala, the wife of late Congress MLA
Rajnish Kumar Babbi, whose death necessitated the by-election.
RO RECOMMENDS LEGAL ACTION AGAINST AYALI
Dakha Returning Officer Amarinder Singh Malhi has recommended a legal action against SAD-BJP combine candidate Manpreet Singh Ayali after the his main rival and the Congress candidate from Dakha, Capt Sandeep Singh Sandhu, filed a complaint against him for allegedly violating the election model code of conduct.
Sandhu alleged that Ayali appeared “live” on the Facebook and asked the people to press the button of SAD’s election symbol on Monday morning.
Following the complaint, Returning Officer wrote to the DSP to take required legal action on this complaint.
MINOR SPAT BETWEEN SAD, CONG WORKERS
Heated arguments were reported between the Congress and Akali workers n some villages including Mandiani and Gorsian Kadar Baksh, of Dakha assembly segment.
Congress workers allegedly ‘manhandled’ the grandson of a former Akali sarpanch of Mandiani village outside the polling booth. Gurmukh Singh, kin of the youth, said Congress workers hurled abuses at the Akali worker.
It has been learnt that many political leaders from outside the constituency were present in area. Some Congress leaders from Ludhiana were spotted at Mullanpur-Dakha town.
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said that the polling process has remained peaceful till now. There were complaints about a snag in two to three EVMs but required measures were immediately taken, he said.
MAN ARRESTED FOR “BUYING” VOTES
A man was arrested on Monday in Jalalabad assembly segment for allegedly disbursing money to purchase votes. A wave of tension prevailed in the area when SAD workers spotted a man at a polling booth disbursing money to “buy” votes.
The man, from whome Rs 40,000 were also recovered, was taken to the Jalalabad city police station and handed over to the police. SAD candidate Raj Singh Dibbipura also reached the city police station and demanded action against the accused.
SAD leaders alleged that one Ramesh Kumar of the neighbouring Guru Har Sahai constituency was allegedly found disbursing money to buy votes.
CONG’S DHALIWAL RECEIVES NOTICE FOR POLL VIOLATION
Congress candidate from Phagwara and former IAS officer Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal on Monday was given a notice of explanation for code violation as per election rules.
Dhaliwal was seen wearing a muffler printed with the word Congress and the party’s symbol when he went to cast his vote at Booth no 184 in the Market Committee premises.
The BJP polling agent objected to this and informed the former MLA and the Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash, who immediately lodged a complaint before the Returning Officer Latif Ahmed and Observer Saurav Bhagat.
Besides issuing notice to Dhaliwal, the Election Officers also removed the entire staff at the polling station and replaced them.