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Singla booked Majitha, February 13 Mr Singla reportedly got provoked when the polling official tried to assist an elderly woman to locate the button on the electronic voting machine (EVM). A case under Sections 332 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code was registered for assaulting and deterring a public servant from discharging his duty. Mr Singla refuted the charges and alleged that the APO had lodged the complaint with a view to preventing action by the election observer as he had been ‘caught red-handed' ensuring votes for the BJP candidate. Mr Santokh Singh Dhaliwal, an employee of the State Bank of Patiala at Amritsar, who will be retiring after two months, alleged that Mr Singla slapped him without any provocation. The trouble started at 10.30 in booth No. 26 when 132 of about 600 votes were polled.Later, the entire staff of booth Nos.26 and 29 was changed on the directions of the election observers. District police chief Lok Nath Angra confirmed registration of the case against Mr Singla. In Amritsar South, Congress candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma, sitting MLA, sustained minor injuries when he clashed with one Ashwani Sunny, a confidant of Mr Yoginder Paul Dhingra, a Congress rebel inside the booth. Later, the supporters of Mr Sharma thrashed Mr Sunny. In another shocking incident, a polling agent of Ms Laxmi Kanta Chawla, BJP candidate from Amritsar Central, suffered a heart attack at polling booth No.50. He was rushed to the hospital where he died. In Sohian village, a clash between Congress and SAD workers left several injured. Supporters of both parties pelted stones at one another, giving a tough time to para military and Punjab Police personnel. A clash was averted at Waryam village with the timely intervention of security forces. In the Amritsar Central constituency, a scuffle was reported between supporters of Mr Arun Mehra Pappal, a Congress rebel, and Congress candidate Prof Darbari Lal, at DAV College for Women, Beri Gate. The police rushed to the site and rounded up polling agents.Ms Laxmi Kanta Chawla, state BJP vice-president and candidate for the BJP from the constituency, alleged that the police picked up two polling agents of her party. Hundreds of BJP workers gathered at the spot and raised slogans against the police and Prof Darbari Lal. Later the police diffused the situate by assuring the BJP candidate that the both would be released immediately. The tension brewed in Guru Nanak Pura (ward number 30) when 3400 votes were found deleted . As many as 125 votes of Amritsar Centre constituency in Gali Bagichi were found deleted much to the chagrin of voters. On the other hand , barring minor skirmishes between Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal activists at few places in Amritsar and Majitha constituencies , the polling to the keenly fought Punjab assembly elections and Amritsar Lok Sabha election concluded peacefully . The polling gradually picked up as around 30 per cent voters exercised their franchise during the first six hours today. At the high-profile Amritsar Lok Sabha seat the voters turn out was over 50 per cent. Amid inclement weather, the voters in countryside wrapped in blankets or carrying umberallas or clad in rain coats the voters made their way to the polling booths throughout the state. Long queues were seen outside polling booths.
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