65 p.c. vote in Punjab

 CHANDIGARH, Feb 7 

Reports pouring in at the state headquarters here from different parts of the state indicated that, barring a few stray and minor incidents, polling concluded on a peaceful note in the evening.

Although the pattern of polling varied from constituency to constituency, it was generally dull when it opened at 7.30 in the morning with biting cold forcing the voters to stay indoors.  But as the morning chill wore off, people came out of their houses in large numbers to exercise their right to franchise in the first "normal" election to be held in the land of five rivers in more than a decade and a half.

A massive security cover had been provided by nearly one lakh police personnel backed by 150 companies of paramilitary forces to ensure free and fair polling.  There was no untoward incident as men and women accompanied by children in many cases, trooped to the polling stations to cast their voters in a relaxed atmosphere and chat afterwards among themselves in bright sunny weather.