78.6% turnout in Punjab; polling largely peaceful barring technical snags, skirmishes at some places

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 4

The voting percentage in Punjab on Saturday touched the 78.6 per cent mark even as technical glitches and stray incidents of violence were reported in the state which is seeing a high-stakes contest among the Congress, new entrant AAP and ruling SAD-BJP combine.

The figure of 78.6% was given late in the night by the Election Commission after several revisions, as more data came in from the constituencies. The poll percentage in the 2012 Assembly elections was also 78.6 per cent.

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Also read: Punjab elections: All action from day of polling as it unfolded

"Barring stray incidents of violence the polling in single-phase remained peaceful," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP- elections) V K Bhawra said.

Two persons were injured in a clash which took place between AAP and Congress workers at Sultanpur village in Sangrur district, police said.

In Tarn Taran district, a Congress worker identified as Jagjit Singh was injured when an Akali supporter allegedly opened fire at him outside a polling booth in Lalu Ghuman village, they said.

A large number of voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines, installed for the first time in the ongoing Punjab Assembly polls, developed snags during the polling process in the state.

Snags hit VVPAT machines

A technical snag was reported in VVPAT machines in Majitha and Sangrur, an election office spokesman said, adding that the matter had been referred to the ECI.

Due to a snag in the machines, polling had to be called off a number of times, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V K Singh said, adding that these machines were replaced by others.

Over 79 per cent electors had cast their votes in the 2012 assembly polls. The final figure of today's voting is still awaited as all those who were inside the polling booths will be allowed to vote, an election official spokesman said here.

Shortly before the polling was to end, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal "thanked Punjabis for peaceful polling and reposing faith in SAD-BJP alliance."

A statement issued by Badal's spokesman quoted him as saying, "Moved by people's love despite negative agenda."

However, this time around 70 per cent out of the total 1.98 crore electors exercised their franchise to seal the fate of 1,145 candidates, including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and Deputy, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Punjab Congress president and the party's chief ministerial candidate, Capt Amarinder Singh.

The total number of electors in the state is 1,98,79,069, including 93,75,546 females. There are 415 transgender voters. The total number of candidates in the fray include 81 women and a transgender. 

Six persons were injured during a clash between Congress and SAD supporters at Ropowali village in Fatehgarh Churian constituency, police said.

In Majitha, a heated exchange of words took place between Akali candidate Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress candidate Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli after the former raised objection over allegedly bringing vehicles inside the polling station.

"Don't break the rules," Majithia, who is seeking re-election for third time from Majitha constituency, told his opponent, asking the driver to take the vehicles out of the polling booth.

A verbal duel took place between some media personnel and security staff deployed at one of the polling booths in Majitha constituency after the scribes alleged that they were not allowed to enter the polling booth by the security personnel despite authorisation, police said.

A minor clash took place between Congress and BJP workers at Preet Nagar of Jalandhar Central constituency.

Another minor clash between SAD and AAP workers took place at Kotkapura in Faridkot district while there was report of a clash at Kalanaur in Batala between AAP and Congress workers, in which police had to use mild force to diffuse the situation.

Minor clashes also took place between Congress and BJP workers at Samrala village in Bhoa Assembly segment in Pathankot district.

In Phillaur's Atta village, a verbal duel took place between Congress and Akali Dal workers.

In Nangal village in Phillaur, a verbal duel took place between AAP and BSP workers.

Meanwhile, Moga district police booked Independent candidate Manjit Singh Mann, contesting from Moga constituency, under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and and also under relevant section of the IPC, for campaigning after the deadline for the same had ended, Moga's Returning Officer said.

A 35-year-old man identified as Prakash, a resident of Bhim Nagar in Jalandhar, died due to suspected cardiac arrest, when he came out of the polling booth at a school in Bashirpura, Jalandhar, police said.

Punjab is witnessing a three-cornered contest between the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance, opposition Congress and new entrant Aam Aadmi Party.

Other political outfits in the fray include BSP, former AAP leader Sucha Singh Chhotepur-led Aapna Punjab Party, the Left comprising CPI and CPI-M, and SAD-Amritsar.

Voting for Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by-poll was also being held amid tight security arrangements.

For the first time webcasting from over 4,000 polling booths was done, which was monitored from Chandigarh control room. — With PTI inputs