60.45% voters show up, seal fate of 203 candidates in Chandigarh MC polls

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 24

The MC poll today saw 60.45 per cent voters exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 203 candidates in the fray from 35 wards in the city.

The percentage this time is a tad better than the previous two MC elections. In the 2016 MC poll, 59.54 per cent voting was recorded, while in 2011, 59.84 per cent polling was witnessed.

While the morning hours witnessed a low voter turnout, the voting percentage increased as the day progressed. Between the start of polling at 7.30 am and 10 am, only 12.37 per cent voters had turned up at 694 polling booths.

Bogus voting?

• Binder Kumari, a resident of Bapu Dham Colony, said, “A poll official said there was already a tick mark in front of my name. I said I had not voted yet. First they refused, but later I was allowed to vote.”
• Two similar cases were reported from Mani Majra. “Somebody else voted in place of me. The staff told me that my vote had already been cast even though I had not voted,” said a voter.
• K Bhandari, OSD to the State Election Commissioner, rubbished the allegations.

By 1 pm, the voting percentage had touched 33.7 per cent, which further rose to 46.9 per cent by 3 pm.

Serpentine queues were witnessed in Maloya, Daria, Ram Darbar, Kishangarh, Dhanas, Indira Colony, and some villages and colonies.

As a result, though voting was to end at 5 pm, in several wards, it continued till late in the evening. The last ballot was cast at 8.45 pm. “All those who reached by 5 pm were allowed to vote. We gave coupons to them. Voting continued till 8.45 pm,” said K Bhandari, OSD to the State Election Commissioner, UT.

To ensure the Covid protocol inside the polling stations, face masks were distributed among voters and hand sanitisers were made available. However, social distancing went for a toss at many polling stations.

Wheelchairs for physically challenged voters were found missing in various polling stations. Two Covid positive patients also exercised their right to vote. The highest number of votes was polled in ward number 16, where 72.81 per cent voters cast their ballot. Ward number 23 (Sector 34, 35, 43) saw the lowest voting of 42.66 per cent.

The counting of votes will be held on December 27 and the results will be declared by afternoon.

Polling agents not allowed to enter?

Supporters of candidates protested at two polling stations at Hallo Majra and Colony No. 4, Industrial Area.

Kripanand Thakur, Independent candidate, alleged that at the Hallo Majra polling station, his polling agent had gone outside to answer the call of nature. When she returned, she was not allowed to enter. “The Congress candidate’s polling agent was also not allowed,” he alleged. His supporters protested against officials.

Shashi Shankar Tiwari, head of the Azad Front, alleged that all polling agents except those of the BJP were sent outside the polling station at the electricity office near Colony No. 4 at 4.30 pm.

Tiwari alleged they were let in after 45 minutes following protests by his supporters. He alleged there could have been some rigging.