Setting example, candidates set up common stall at Malerkotla village

Raipur village in Amargarh block of Malerkotla district set up a unique example during the Panchayati Raj Institutions election by facilitating villagers in casting their vote.

Though all major political parties, including Aam Aadmi Party, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, had their candidates for the election, no senior leader was seen approaching or following voters at the polling booths.

Contrary to the common trend in Punjab to set up individual stalls, candidates contesting election for Malerkotla zila parishad, Bagrian zone and Amargarh block samiti zone, Alipur, assisted villagers in casting votes by installing a common booth under a common shed in the centre of the village.

Harvinder Singh appreciated that none of the candidates or their supporters had tried to influence, coerce or allure voters on the polling day or during campaign. “We have tried to perpetuate the tradition set by our elders that all voters will be free to choose their candidates during the election to the zila parishad and block samiti and we are glad that all leaders owing allegiance to different political parties, followed the real democratic tenet,” said Harvinder, acknowledging that some leniency was allowed during the gram panchayat election.

Meanwhile, Gurpreet Singh, Rachhpal Singh, Lambardar Jarnail Singh, Jaswinder Singh, Pavitar Singh, Vijay Kumar and Amandeep Singh, activists of various political parties, aired similar views and called upon residents of other localities to stick to democratic norms during every election.