Punjab elections: All action from day of polling as it unfolded

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 4

A blow-by-blow account of the polling day in Punjab, with field reports and pictures straight as they arrived.

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CHANDIGARH

Election Commission revises polling percentage to 78.6, same as 2012 Assembly elections. Jalalabad constituency, where SAD's Sukhbir Badal is pitted against AAP's Bhagwant Mann and Congress' Ravneet Singh Bittu, registered a high of 86% polling.

PATIALA (Updated 9:13 pm)

AAP and SAD workers accuse each other of harassing their supporters. Police rush in.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 9:10 pm)

Final vote polled in Punjab: 75 per cent

CHANDIGARH (Updated 8:52 pm)

FARIDKOT (Updated 8:50 pm)

Last voter in Faridkot cast his vote at around 6.45 pm. District election office estimated that some 3,677 voters were still queued up at 57 polling booths in the district at 5 pm.

Records also showed that 78.75 per cent of total 1,53,573 registered voters in the assembly segment had cast their ballots by 5 pm.

NEW DELHI (Updated 7:45 pm)

Out of 22,615 EVMs deployed, only 47 malfunctioned and replaced. Out of total 6,668 VVPATs deployed 187 replaced.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 7:02 pm)

Final voting percentage in Punjab is expected to be 75 percent, CEO VK Singh said.

SANGRUR (Updated 7:01pm)

SAD and Congress workered clash in Lehragaga. Two injured.

NEW DELHI (Updated 5:20 pm)

“Any voter reporting to the booth up to 5 pm will be allowed to cast his or her vote, even beyond schedule time. Entire election machinery up to polling booth level has been directed to facilitate voting by such voters,” said Election Commission of India’s directive to its machinery.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 6:05 pm)

70 per cent polling until 5 pm. Some voters still waiting in queues to cast their ballot.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 5:10 pm)

Voting closes at 5 pm, no change in time, CEO clarifies after a meeting with AAP leaders. “Polling in Goa is scheduled from 7 am to 5 pm whereas in Punjab it is 8 am to 5 pm. This is discrimination with Punjabis,” says Sanjay Singh. "A large number of voters have failed to cast vote."

“Elections are normally held 8 am to 5 pm in Punjab. Timings can't be compared with Goa.  All voters who enter polling stations by 5 pm will be able to cast votes,” CEO VK Singh said.  

CHANDIGARH (Updated 5:05 pm)

At 4 pm, highest polling of 73 per cent reported in Fazilka and Sangrur. Lowest (56 percent) in Ropar.

BATHINDA (Updated 5:03 pm)

AAP workers clash with SAD workers over alleged fake votes. Congress workers also jumped in, enter into heated arguments with SAD workers in Maur.

ZIRAKPUR (Updated 4:53 pm)

Firing incident reported in Lohgarh village.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 4:50 pm)

66 per cent polling in Punjab until 4 pm.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 4:36 pm)

AAP demands polling time to be extended till 6 pm; Deepak Vajpayee and AAP legal team members at CEO’s office. Main concern is Majithia segment where police are not cooperating, AAP team alleges. Sanjay Singh reaches CEO's office.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 4:21 pm)

Poll percentage at 3 pm: Pathankot 59, Gurdaspur 56, Hoshiarpur 58, Ropar 58, Mohali 54, Fatehgarh Sahib 65, Ludhiana 60.5, Ferozepur 59.5, Muktsar 60.5, Faridkot 62, Barnala 54.6, Patiala 59.5

LUDHIANA (Updated 4:20 pm)

High drama near booth no 129 in Gandhi Nagar of Rampura city after Congress worker Vinod Kumar Neeta accused Akali leader-cum-former Market Committee Chairman Parveen Kansal Rocky of assaulting him. He alleged that Rocky was distributing cash among voters, which Neeta denied. Minor clash followed heated arguments. Police asked Neeta to lodge complaint but he refused. 'There is no use of lodging complaint with police. There is a goonda raj'. SHO said: 'I am urging victim to come and lodge complaint but he is unwilling. There was no clash rather it was a minute scuffle”.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 4:15 pm)
56.9% polling in Punjab until 3 pm.

TARN TARAN (Updated: 4:11 pm)  

Congress worker Jagjit Singh injured after two shots allegedly fired at him by SAD sarpanch of Lalu, Ghuman Desa Singh, and his supporters outside polling booths. Bullets hit his belly and leg.

MOGA (Updated 4:10 pm)

EC seeks report regarding EVM displaying 50 extra votes at polling booth no 145.

JALANDHAR (Updated 4:10pm)

Clash between AAP, BSP supporters this morning after drunken BSP Sarpanch Khushi Ram picked up a fight and tried to barge in. Congress also alleges Khushi Ram was abusing non-BSP voters.

AMRITSAR (Updated 4:05 pm)

Amritsar south assembly constituency is lowest in the polling percentage, at 33 per cent, in the state. Gurpartap Singh Tikka of SAD, Inderbir Singh Bolaria of Congress and Inderbir Singh Nijjar of AAP are contesting on this seat.                       

ZIRAKPUR (Updated 4:05 pm)

Indian gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra casts his vote at Chatt village.                    

TARN TARAN (Updated 4:00 pm)

Firing reported in Tarn Taran village. One injured.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 4:00 pm)

No VVPAT surplus in Sangrur, Roopnagar, Muktsar, Jalandhar Cantt. Lehra has three and Majitha only one.

FARIDKOT (Updated: 3:55 pm)

After they were offered money to 'buy' their votes, about 40 youths in Kamena village marched to a polling booth in the village to vote and openly declared whom they would vote for.

FEROZEPUR (Updated 3:45 pm)

Firing incident reported in Guruharsahai.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 3:45 pm)

Highest polling to date reported in Ghanaur and Samana (61 per cent). Lowest in Jalandhar Cantt (32 per cent).

FARIDKOT (Updated 3:45 pm)

Lowest voting percentage at 42 per cent in Amritsar; close to 43 per cent at Ropar.

MUKTSAR (Updated 3:45 pm)

Akali worker injured in clash with Congress activists at Killanwali village in Lambi. Sustains head injury. Brought to Community Health Centre, Lambi. Referred to Bathinda.

BATHINDA (Updated 3.30 pm)

Minor clash reported between SAD and AAP workers at Maiserkhana.

TARN TARAN (Updated 3.20 pm)

FIR registered against son of AAP candidate from Khadoor Sahib for allegedly beating a Congress worker. The accused is yet to be arrested.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 3.15 pm)

VVPAT machines were used in 6,500 polling booths, and 50 of these machines in Sangrur, Majitha and Muktsar developed snag, says CEO Punjab VK Singh

MOGA (Updated 3.02 pm)

CEO Punjab VK Singh takes note of voting being halted at a polling booth in Khosa Pandu village. He pulled up officials for halting the polling after he received complaint from the US.

KALANAUR (Updated 2.50 pm)

Clash between supporters of SS Randhawa (Congress) and GS Kushalpur (AAP) in Kalanaur. Police rush in to defuse situation.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 2.38 pm)

48 per cent polling in Punjab till 2.30 pm.

JALANDHAR (Updated 2.30 pm)

Twenty five-year-old Prakash, a resident of Bhim Nagar, dies after casting his vote at Bashirpura; kin create ruckus outside polling booth.

BATHINDA (Updated 2.14 pm)

SAD Bathinda city president Sudhir Bansal allegedly beaten by Congress supporters outside a polling booth.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 2.00 pm)

41 per cent polling in Punjab till 1.40 pm. Average polling percentage in rural constituencies is 45 per cent.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 1.55 pm)

EC allows replacement of defective VVPATs with EVMs, where VVPAT stock is about to exhaust. Use of conventional EVMs at eight polling stations in Majitha, six in Muktsar and one in Sangrur allowed.

LUDHIANA (Updated 1.22 pm)

Kamal Chatly, BJP candidate from Ludhiana West, along with his supporters has been booked by the Sarabha Nagar police for trespassing and attempting to thrash the supporters of Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu at his BRS Nagar office. Chatly had trespassed into the office of Ashu alleging that stock of liquor was lying in his office, which was to be distributed to the voters. Meanwhile, the police raided the office and nothing incriminating was found.

PATIALA (Updated 1.03 pm)

Capt Amarinder Singh arrives to cast his vote at Government College for Girls; says the Congress is coming to power.

NABHA (Updated 1.02 pm)

AAP and Congress supporters were seen outside polling booths, while SAD workers were conspicuous by their absence at many places.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 12.50 pm)

32 per cent polling in Punjab till 12 noon

MUKTSAR (Updated 12.04 pm)

Voting delayed for nearly 2 hours at some polling booths in Muktsar Assembly constituency due to snag in VVPAT machines.

GURUHARSAHAI (Updated 12.01 pm)

Congress and Akali workers clash in Theh Gujjar village; situation under control.

PATTI (Updated 11.40 am)

Election observer for Patti constituency warns Congress candidate Harminder Gill of seizing his vehicles, other than his car and security vehicle, if he found in his cavalcade. Observer and Congress candidate came face to face when Gill arrived to cast his vote at Patti town.

CHANDIGARH (Updated 11.34 am)

14 per cent voting in Punjab till 11.30 am

LUDHIANA (Updated 11.17 am)

Supporters of senior SAD leader Hira Singh Gabria booked by Daba Police for attacking LIP candidate Balwinder Bains last night. Bains did not sustain any injuries. Following the attack, Bains supporters had ransacked the office of Gabria.

LAMBI (Updated 11.15 am)

Sukhbir Badal says the SAD will get 80 seats. In both Lambi and Jalalabad, the Akalis will secure No. 1 position, Congress 2 and AAP 3. Harsimrat says people will vote for development, even opponents can’t say anything about it. She alleges the AAP has links with extremist forces.

SIRHIND (Updated 11.10 am)

Technical snag in VVPat machines at Sirhind and Chanarthal.                       

CHANDIGARH

12 per cent polling in Punjab till 10.30 am

MAJITHA

SAD’s Bikram Majithia could not cast his vote like hundreds others at Polling Station-35 of Ward No. 5 due to snag in EVM.

CHANDIGARH

EVMs with VVPAT are developing snag almost in all 33 segments where they are installed. Punjab CEO likely to seek ECI permission to replace defective VVPAT EVMs with conventional EVMs. Major trouble with VVPATs in Muktsar, Majitha, Barnala and Sangrur districts. Almost entire stock of reserved VVPATs exhausted in Majitha segment which is also decalred as sensitive seat by ECI. The Majitha RO has sent an emergency communication to EC informing depleting reserved stock of VVPATs. Meeting begins at EC headquarters to deal with the situation.

FAZILKA

SAD Guruharsahai (Ferozpur) candidate Vardev Singh Mann and his son Harpindet Singh booked for not depositing firearms ahead of polling.

FARIDKOT

Election commission is very strict in installation of polling tents by political parties in Faridkot, not allowing tents within 200 meter of polling booths

SANAUR

SHO Sanaur shifted midnight and SHO Julka police station (Patiala) shifted by ECI just after polling begins. Both Sanour and Julka police stations fall under Sanaur segment, where Chandumajra's son is contesting against Tohra's daughter. Action against SHO Jhulka came last night after Patiala SSP S Bhoopathi visited the police station and shifted him.                       

CHANDIGARH

Instructions of EC to not carry mobiles creating confusion outside polling booths. People are returning without casting votes as there is no provision to keep mobile outside.

SANGRUR

SAD and Congress leaders booked for last night’s clash in Khanauri. Town still tense.

CHANDIGARH

Sky overcast at many places, strong winds. Polling slow till 10 am.

SHUTRANA

Heavy police presence in Shutrana Grain Market as AAP and Congress supporters gather and raise slogans in support of their parties. Police on spot to avert any violence.

SANGRUR

Administration has deputed additional force in Malerkotla after getting information about likely problems

CHANDIGARH

8 per cent polling till 9.30 am in Punjab.

BADAL

Gurdas Badal says: “God knows who will win from Lambi, Parkash or Amarinder. People are annoyed with Akalis, and I think Congress is coming to power.”

SANGRUR

Dera Sirsa followers have formed teams to ensure that all followers give votes to only SAD as some other party candidates are trying to woo followers.

PATIALA (Updated 9.50 am)

Capt Amarinder Singh, along with his family members, to cast his vote at 12 noon at Government College for Girls. He is camping at New Moti Bagh Palace and keeping a close watch on developments in Patiala and Lambi, from where he is the official candidate.

MOHALI (Updated 9.15 am)

AAP leader Bhagwant Mann casts his vote at Mohali. "Our contest is with drugs and corruption," he said.

BADAL (Updated 9.15 am)

Manpreet first from the Badal clan to cast his vote. He came in a jeep along with his son Arjun. Says "it will be a historic defeat of the Akalis. I will win with a good margin.

LUDHIANA (Updated 9.15 am)

Clash between Balwinder Bains and Hira Singh Gabria supporters left five injured. Reports of gunfire. Incident took place around midnight.