Result tied at 2 Mohali villages, winner decided by lot

Tuesday was an eventful day in Punjab, more so, in Chappar Chiri Khurd village of Mohali, where one of the results of the panchayat elections was decided by a “toss”.

The polling had concluded peacefully by 4 pm. At 6 pm, the candidates and their supports were told that the result was a tie. Both Surinder Kaur and Jora Singh Bhullar had polled 39 votes each for the post of Panch from Ward No. 5.

Arguments and counter-arguments flew thick and thin for the next three hours between the two parties as the entire village gathered for a showdown. At 9 pm, the returning officer’s patience wore thin with the result for the Sarpanch’s post still pending. A “toss” looked imminent as Jora Singh acceded to resolve the deadlock. But, Surinder Kaur rebelled. “I would not accept the result even if I come out as winner,” she recounted today with garlands around her neck and an oversized box of laddoos kept at a distance.

“What democracy if we have to decide the winner by a flip of a coin,” she said.

So, a bucket with two slips bearing the names of the tied contestants was brought in. When the returning officer’s repeated pleas to both candidates to pick one slip failed, he shook and stirred the slips in the bucket well, picked up one, and went straight to the videography corner. Surinder Kaur, the slip let out the winner.

To remove any doubt, the returning officer picked up the other one and showed it up in front of the camera to satisfy the losing candidate.

Jora Singh Bhullar accepted the decision, but not the result. He said, “I have not lost, neither has she. It should have been a two-and-a-half-year term for each.”

Similarly, in Kambala (54-54), Balwinder Singh won over Ranjit Singh.

Man booked for celebratory fire after wife becomes Panch

Mohali: The police registered a case against the husband of the Bakarpur Panch for celebratory fire after she won the panchayat poll on Tuesday evening. Mohali SSP Deepak Pareek said, “Ranjit Bhola has been booked at the IT City police station for firing into the air in the village after her wife was declared the winner in the panchayat polls last night.” The police said they received a video of the suspect dancing and opening celebratory fire at home, after which action was taken against him.