Repoll: Cong candidate wins by 263 votes in Khanna ward

Satnam Singh Chaudhary, Congress candidate for the byelections for Ward 2 of the Khanna Municipal Council, was declared the winner on Monday. He defeated his rival AAP candidate Vicky Vishal by 263 votes, following repoll for the polling station number 4, which was held under tight security as per directions of the State Election Commission on Monday. Satnam secured 798 votes while Vicky got 535 votes.

Besides taking security measures at and near the polling station, police officials, led by DSP Amritpal Singh Bhatti, conducted a flag march to boost the morale of residents.

“Having received instructions from seniors, we had made unprecedented security arrangements so that voters may use their right to vote without fear,” said Bhatti, adding that a flag march was conducted later to boost the morale of the residents.

The state Election Commission had ordered repoll at polling station number 4 in Ward 2 of Khanna in response to a proposal sent by the District Election Officer, Ludhiana, on Saturday when an EVM had been damaged after counting of three machines was completed.

Tensions ran high in the region following the alleged EVM tampering that marred the polling process on Saturday.

A large number of activists of the Congress had laid a dharna in front of the polling station on Saturday and Sunday, demanding action against the AAP candidate for allegedly damaging the EVM. Notably, supporters of AAP candidate Vicky Vishal had began celebrating on Saturday evening before the declaration of the results, claiming that he had won.

Having received instructions from the Election Commission, the DC-Cum-District Election Officer, Ludhiana, Jitendra Jorwal, had advised the government officials concerned to conduct a repoll for polling station number 4, according to the guidelines of the commission.