Counting of votes for 116 local bodies today

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 16

With the successful conduct of the repoll at three booths of Patran and Samana municipal councils in Patiala district today, the counting of votes in seven Municipal Corporations, barring Mohali, and 109 Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats will be held tomorrow.

Number game

9,222 total candidates in fray

2,302 total wards in state

71.39% Total turnout on Feb 14

A total of 9,222 candidates are in the fray for 2,302 wards in the state. On February 14, a voter turnout of 71.39 per cent was recorded. The repoll in Patran and Samana MCs passed off peacefully. Officials said 87.72 per cent votes were polled at booth 11 of ward No. 8 in Patran, while 57.72 per cent turnout was witnessed at booths 22 and 23 of ward No. 11 in Samana.

EVMs were damaged at both places during the elections held on Sunday as unidentified persons carrying rods and sticks ransacked booths in broad daylight. While miscreants had taken away the control unit of an EVM and torn some documents in ward No 8, two EVMs were completely damaged in ward No. 11. Following this, the police registered cases against unidentified persons while the Election Commission ordered repoll in both wards.

Officials today said 366 men and 277 women voters turned out in ward No. 8 of Patran, while 609 men and 516 women cast their vote in Samana. They said the counting of votes will be carried out on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the State Election Commission said the counting of votes for Mohali would take place on February 18 after repolling in two booths was ordered post reports of irregularities. The polling will be held tomorrow.

The commission had received a report from Sub Divisional Magistrate-cum-Returning Officers (RO), Mohali, through the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Election Officer, SAS Nagar, of irregularities during polling and a request regarding repolling in booth No 32 and 33 of ward No 10. The PSEC on Tuesday also ordered deputy commissioners to appoint micro observers for vote counting of sensitive and hypersensitive wards.

On the counting of votes, the Commission ordered to depute IAS, PCS or other senior officials as micro observers in sensitive and hypersensitive wards.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.