Punjab bypolls: 63 per cent voter turnout recorded as of 6 pm

Tribune News Service

Updated At : 08:32 PM Nov 20, 2024 IST

People stand in a queue to cast their votes in Gidderbaha, Muktsar district, on Wednesday. Tribune photo

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C announced that the byelections for four Punjab Vidhan Sabha seats recorded a 63 per cent voter turnout as of 6 pm. However, the final figures will be updated tomorrow morning once all polling parties have returned to the collection centers and completed the data entry process.

The highest voter turnout was recorded in the 84-Gidderbaha constituency, with an impressive 81 per cent of eligible voters casting their ballots. Other constituencies saw significant turnout as well: 10-Dera Baba Nanak recorded 63%, 103-Barnala saw 54%, and 44-Chabbewal registered 53%.

CEO Sibin C expressed gratitude to voters for participating in the electoral process and exercising their democratic rights. He also commended the efforts of Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Election Officers and Returning Officers for ensuring smooth management and strict supervision during the elections.

Additionally, CEO Sibin C appreciated the dedication of the Punjab Police, Central Armed Police Forces, polling officials, volunteers, and all individuals involved in maintaining a secure environment at polling stations. He extended thanks to political parties and candidates for their cooperation and acknowledged the constructive role played by media personnel.

Punjab's ruling AAP would like to register victories after its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha polls while the Congress and the BJP are also out for triumph in the by-elections to four Assembly segments on Wednesday.

The counting will be held on November 23.

The bypolls were necessitated after MLAs representing them were elected to the Lok Sabha. Of the four Assembly segments, Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak and Chabbewal were earlier held by the Congress, and the Barnala seat by the AAP.

Among the key contestants in the fray are former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Kewal Singh Dhillon, Sohan Singh Thandal and Ravikaran Singh Kahlon (BJP), Amrita Warring and Jatinder Kaur (Congress), and Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and Ishank Kumar Chabbewal (AAP).

Warring is the wife of the Congress' Punjab chief and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. Jatinder Kaur is the spouse of Gurdaspur MP and former deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.

63 per cent voter turnout recorded in state as of 6 pm

November 20, 2024 8:32 pm

Gidderbaha sees high voter turnout of 79.1 per cent till 5 pm

November 20, 2024 5:40 pm

52.7 per cent polling till 5 pm in Barnala Assembly bypoll, 59.8 per cent in Dera Baba Nanak, 48.01 per cent in Chabbewal

November 20, 2024 5:34 pm

49.61% polling till 3.30 pm

November 20, 2024 3:38 pm

Punjab witnesses 49.61 per cent voting till 3.30 pm.

36.46 per cent polling in 4 Assembly segments till 1 pm

November 20, 2024 1:31 pm

Gidderbaha: 50.09%; Dera Baba Nanak: 39.4%, Barnala: 28.1%; Chabbewal: 27.95%

Clash breaks out between Congress, AAP workers in Dera Pathana village

November 20, 2024 1:17 pm

Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa appealed to the voters to cast their vote peacefully. "My appeal to the voters is to come out and cast their votes peacefully. In Dera Baba Nanak, some goons wanted to capture the booth and create issues, and one of them was arrested. It is a very unfortunate incident. One should conduct the elections in a better manner and stay united and vote for the Congress party and put an end to this hooliganism," he said.

AAP candidate Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon casts votes along with family members in Gidderbaha

November 20, 2024 12:14 pm

Dhillon (in yellow turban) with family members after casting vote.

20.76 per cent polling in 4 Assembly segments till 11 am

November 20, 2024 11:27 am

Gidderbaha: 35%; Dera Baba Nanak: 19.4%, Barnala: 16.1%; Chabbewal: 12.71%

Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa alleges policy apathy

November 20, 2024 11:02 am

Dera Baba Nanak, Punjab: Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa says, "I won’t come here. If I get beaten up, the police will arrest me. I don't want to go outside. I came here on my own, and I can leave if I want to. I will stay here.If they arrest me, ask the gangsters. They… pic.twitter.com/XXOAQXsPk4
— IANS (@ians_india) November 20, 2024

Reports of clash between Congress and AAP workers at a polling booth in Dera Baba Nanak

November 20, 2024 10:56 am

8.53 per cent polling in 4 Assembly segment in first two hours

November 20, 2024 9:50 am

Voter turnout till 9 am - Gidderbaha: 13.1%; Dera Baba Nanak: 9.7%, Barnala: 6.9%; Chabbewal: 8.3%

PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring’s wife Amrita Warring is making her electoral debut as a Congress nominee from Gidderbaha

November 20, 2024 9:33 am

Amrita Warring flashes the victory sign ahead of by-election

Former Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who was elected as Gidderbaha MLA for four times in a row (1995, 1997, 2002 and 2007), is trying his luck in from this segment again

November 20, 2024 9:29 am

Manpreet Singh Badal sitting at a booth set up near a polling station at Lundewala village

Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, who lost two elections in a row as an SAD nominee in 2017 and 2022, is contesting on AAP ticket this time

November 20, 2024 9:28 am

Dhillon takes blessings from his mother ahead of bypolls

Polling in Gidderbaha under way

November 20, 2024 9:25 am

People stand in a queue to cast their votes in Gidderbaha, Muktsar district

Shiromani Akali Dal has not fielded candidates for the bypolls

November 20, 2024 9:09 am

AAP currently has 91 MLAs in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, while the Congress has 15, Shiromani Akali Dal three, BJP two, and the Bahujan Samaj Party one. One seat is held by an Independent MLA.

Technical snag delays polling for an hour at a booth in Gidderbaha

November 20, 2024 9:07 am

An electronic voting machine (EVM) did not start for an hour at polling booth 152 in Gidderbaha. The machine was rectified around 8 am.

Polling began amid tight security at 7 am

November 20, 2024 8:22 am

Forty-five candidates, including three women, are in the fray for the bypolls. A total of 6.96 lakh voters, including 3.31 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise at 831 polling stations.

This Live Blog has Ended