Mohali logs 55.6% turnout, Kharar 55.8%

Mohali, June 1

The district gave a lukewarm response to the elections for the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat by registering 55.6 per cent polling today. The district recorded 63.5 per cent polling in the 2019 General Election.

Intense heat waves and tepid campaigning are being attributed as the reasons behind the low voter turnout, a nationwide phenomenon in the elections this time around.

SAS Nagar and Kharar (55.8%), the two assembly constituencies of the district, recorded the lowest voter turnout among the five segments in the Anandpur Sahib seat. Minor skirmishes between AAP and Congress workers were witnessed in the Balongi and Kuradi areas of the district; however, by and large, the polling remained peaceful today.

The low turnout for the LS seat promises to juice up the five-cornered contest, with winning margins expected to be wafer thin on June 4. Malvinder Singh Kang (AAP), Vijay Inder Singla (Cong), Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD), Dr Subhash Sharma (BJP), and Jasvir Singh Garhi (BSP) are the five major candidates in the fray.

Polling began in the district, with some of the prominent leaders casting their votes early in the morning. There was a steady stream of voters in many polling booths of the district as senior citizens and women turned up early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat. In Zirakpur, SAD candidate for the Patiala Lok Sabha seat, NK Sharma, cast his vote at the Lohgarh polling booth early in the morning.

In Mohali, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha cast his vote at the Lakhnaur polling booth early this morning. He said, “I appeal to the people of Punjab to come out with family, friends, relatives, and neighbours to exercise their franchise. It is too hot and a holiday too; if you miss this chance, you will not get to choose your government for another five years. This election will decide how the education of children and health facilities for people will be in the coming years. I want to appeal to the people of Punjab to elect a representative who raises the voice of Punjab in the Parliament, be it the issue of water or farmers,” he said after coming out of the polling booth.

SAS Nagar, Kharar lag, but high turnout in Dera Bassi

Dera Bassi registered a high voter turnout for the Patiala Lok Sabha seat this time too. SAS Nagar and Kharar registered low turnout in the poll, and the Dera Bassi assembly constituency registered an exceptionally high voter turnout. Poll officials said a 64.2 per cent voter turnout was recorded, adding the final figure would be released on Sunday.

In the 2019 General Election, Dera Bassi registered a 69.3 per cent turnout, whereas the overall district polling percentage was 63.5 per cent. Polling continued till 7.30 pm in the Dehar area of Dera Bassi as long queues were witnessed till late evening. At the Dyalpura polling booth, there was an EVM-related glitch that held up the polling for around an hour this morning (10 am). The Dera Bassi SDM, Himanshu Gupta, said, “The initial EVM was replaced, after which polling was conducted in a smooth manner.”