Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll sees over 51 per cent voter turnout
Unlock Exclusive Insights with The Tribune Premium
Take your experience further with Premium access. Thought-provoking Opinions, Expert Analysis, In-depth Insights and other Member Only Benefits
Advertisement
The bypoll to the Ludhiana West Assembly seat in Punjab on Thursday recorded a voter turnout of 51.33 per cent, a sharp drop from 64 per cent polling registered in the 2022 Assembly elections.
The polling, which remained peaceful, sealed the fate of 14 candidates in the fray for the urban constituency, which fell vacant after the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.
Advertisement
The counting of votes will be taken up on June 23.
The polling began amid tight security arrangements at 7 am and ended at 6 pm.
Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C said as per data uploaded till 7 pm, the voter turnout was 51.33 per cent.
Advertisement
Polling data were uploaded by the presiding officers on the ECINET app, Sibin said.
In the first two hours of polling till 9 pm, the voting percentage was 8.50 per cent, which went up to 21.51 per cent at 11 am, as per the Election Commission data.
The voting percentage increased to 33.42 per cent at 1 pm and to 41.04 per cent at 3 pm, the data showed.
Voters, including women and the elderly, began arriving at the polling stations in the morning, and their numbers grew as the day progressed.
A total of 1,75,469 voters were eligible to determine the fate of the 14 candidates in fray, including 85,371 women and 10 belonging to the third gender.
The bypoll is being seen as a litmus test for the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government and the ruling party’s national leadership, which aggressively campaigned to retain the seat.
The bypoll’s outcome will throw light on the popularity of the AAP regime’s policies and programmes among the urban voters of the constituency.
Stakes are also high for the Congress, the main opposition party that won the seat six times in the past. Prestige is at stake for BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as well.
AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora exercised his franchise along with his family members in the morning, and later paid obeisance at a gurdwara, a temple and the Dargah Pir in Phillaur.
Speaking to reporters, Arora appealed to the people to come out in large numbers to cast their votes.
Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu, BJP nominee Jiwan Gupta and SAD’s Parupkar Singh Ghuman also cast their votes.
Ahead of the polling, Chief Minister Mann appealed to the voters to exercise their franchise.
“My appeal to the voters of Ludhiana West is that you must exercise your right to vote. You must fulfil your duty for the development and progress of your area. Do not consider today as a holiday, go and cast your vote,” Mann said in a post on X in Punjabi.
A total of 194 polling stations were set up with 100 per cent live webcasting, officials said.
Outside the entrance of the polling stations, designated counters were set up for the voters to deposit their mobile devices, which were managed by trained volunteers.
“In a first-of-its-kind initiative, all polling stations in Ludhiana West made arrangements for safe mobile phone deposit to enhance the voter experience,” the chief electoral officer of Punjab said in a post on X.
The polling stations were also equipped with wheelchairs and help desks to assist the voters, the officials said.
Pickup and drop facility was also provided for the senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Keeping the hot weather conditions in mind, drinking water and ‘chabeel’ (sweetened water) were arranged for the voters at polling stations.
The voting process was monitored real-time from the integrated command and control centre at the district administrative complex. A total of 235 CCTV cameras were installed at the polling stations, the officials said.
AAP candidate Arora, a Rajya Sabha member, is a Ludhiana-based industrialist who also runs Krishna Pran Breast Cancer Charitable Trust.
The Congress has placed its bet on former minister and Punjab Congress working president Ashu, who represented the seat twice between 2012 and 2022, before losing to Gogi by a margin of 7,512 votes.
BJP candidate Gupta is a member of Punjab BJP’s core committee, who earlier served as the party’s state general secretary.
SAD nominee Ghuman is a lawyer and former president of Ludhiana Bar Association. (With PTI)
49.07% polling recorded till 5 pm
June 19, 2025 5:40 pm
Ravneet Singh Bittu appeals to the public to vote for Jiwan Gupta
June 19, 2025 4:21 pm
BJP minister Ravneet Singh Bittu posts a video on X, appealing to the public to vote for Ludhiana West candidate Jiwan Gupta.
Polling peaceful: General Observer
June 19, 2025 2:57 pm
General Observer Rajiv Kumar said he visited 44 booths, adding that polling was being done in a peaceful manner and no unruly scene was witnessed.
Lunchtime and evening surge expected in polling
June 19, 2025 1:18 pm
Till 11 am, 21.51 per cent of the eligible voters exercised their franchise. The polling percentage was just 8.50 till 9 am. A majority of the voters in the constituency belong to the middle class and they did not seem to be in a hurry to reach the polling stations. At many polling booths, candidates and supporters have arranged lunch and snacks, due to which many voters said they would go around lunch time to cast their vote. DC Himanshu Jain said, “We will get a clear picture around 1 pm as after that, till 3 pm, voter turnout may become a little less and then after 3 pm, it will again pick up as per trends,” he said. Read more: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/lunchtime-and-evening-surge-expected-in-ludhiana-west-polling/
ECI's auto service for specially abled & senior citizens
June 19, 2025 12:12 pm
In a citizen-friendly move aimed at ensuring inclusive participation, the Election Commission of India (ECI) provided vehicle assistance to senior citizens and persons with disabilities during the Ludhiana West bypoll held on Thursday. The initiative received widespread appreciation from the public, especially among elderly voters and individuals with mobility challenges who were able to cast their vote with dignity and ease.
Receiving a very positive response: SAD candidate Ghuman
June 19, 2025 11:05 am
Shiromani Akali Dal candidate Parupkar Singh Ghuman reaches GGN Public School to cast his vote. He said: “...I want to thank all those who have been voting at various booths since morning, because we are receiving a very positive response and it feels really good. It is very encouraging.” — PTI
Arrangements for safe mobile phone deposit
June 19, 2025 10:44 am
"In a first-of-its-kind initiative, all polling stations in Ludhiana West have made arrangements for safe mobile phone deposit aims to enhance the voter experience while at the same time upholding the secrecy of voting," read a post by Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, on X.
Do not consider today a holiday: CM Mann
June 19, 2025 10:35 am
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appealed to voters to cast their votes in the bypoll. "My appeal to the voters of Ludhiana West is that you must exercise your right to vote. You must fulfil your duty for the development and progress of your area. Do not consider today a holiday, definitely go and cast your vote," Mann said in a post on X in Punjabi.
Residents gather at GGN Khalsa College polling booth
June 19, 2025 9:30 am
Independent candidate Neetu Shatran Wala (R) and BJP candidate Jivan Gupta greet each other at polling station
June 19, 2025 9:23 am
Bypoll: Ludhiana Police seize ration vehicle amid allegations of vote buying
June 19, 2025 9:18 am
As part of efforts to ensure strict compliance with the Model Code of Conduct during the bye-election to the 64-Ludhiana West Assembly Constituency, Ludhiana Police have seized a ration-laden vehicle and registered a case against its driver under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Read more: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/ludhiana/bypoll-ludhiana-police-seize-ration-vehicle-amid-allegations-of-vote-buying/
Councillors visit all booths to ensure voters do not face problems
June 19, 2025 8:56 am
The councillors of respective areas visiting all the booths in the areas to ensure voters do not face any problem.
Students lend a helping hand
June 19, 2025 8:55 am
Voting against all odds
June 19, 2025 8:54 am
Festival of democracy on
June 19, 2025 8:53 am
Heavy police deployment for polling
June 19, 2025 8:52 am
Age no bar for exercising democratic right
June 19, 2025 8:52 am
People on their way to polling booths
June 19, 2025 8:50 am
Oswal family votes in bypoll
June 19, 2025 8:49 am
Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu votes
June 19, 2025 8:48 am
AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora and family vote
June 19, 2025 8:47 am
BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta and family vote
June 19, 2025 8:46 am
No mobile phones allowed inside polling booths
June 19, 2025 8:44 am
DC Himanshu Jain waits in queue before casting vote
June 19, 2025 8:40 am
First trends of polling percentage from 9:30 am onwards
June 19, 2025 8:38 am
The first trends of polling percentage will start coming from 9:30 am onwards.
SAD candidate Ghuman to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Nanaksar before voting
June 19, 2025 8:38 am
SAD candiadte Parupkar Singh Ghuman will pay obeisance at Gurdwara Nanaksar opposite GADVASU before casting his vote.
DC Himanshu Jain votes
June 19, 2025 8:35 am
Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain was also one of the early birds as far as voting was concerned.
SAD candidate Paropkar Singh Ghuman to cast his vote at 9 am
June 19, 2025 8:30 am
SAD candidate Paropkar Singh Ghuman to cast his vote at 9 am at GGN Public School, Prem Nagar.
BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta casts his vote
June 19, 2025 8:21 am
BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta went to Naurya Mal Jain school to cast his vote.
June 19, 2025 8:21 am
This Live Blog has Ended
Advertisement
Advertisement