Doaba: Enthusiasm at pink booths

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, February 20

Except for a minor altercation between workers of rival parties in Jalandhar Central constituency and dharna by Shiromani Akali Dal-Bahujan Samaj Party workers at Phagwara, polling passed on peacefully across 23 Assembly segments of Doaba region today.

The poll percentage remained significantly down this time as compared to the last two elections. Jalandhar reported a poll percentage of 65.2 per cent as against 73.16 per cent in 2017 and 75.15 per cent in 2012. Of the total 16.67 lakh voters in Jalandhar district, only 10.86 lakh cast their vote this time.

In the three constituencies of Nawanshahr, poll percentage was down to 70.1 per cent from 78.1 per cent last time. In Kapurthala, the turnout dropped to 67.97 per cent as compared to 74 per cent in 2017. The seven constituencies of Hoshiarpur reported a poll percentage of 67.01 per cent as compared to 73 per cent in the last elections. The officials, however, said the figures were being continuously updated as per reports and there could be some minor changes.

The good part this time was that as compared to previous years, there were less technical snags in the EVMs. Polling went on smoothly at almost all 1975 polling booths of Jalandhar. Four ballot units, four control units and 68 VVPAT machines had to be replaced in some booths. Two ballot and control units of the EVM had to be changed in the booths of Jalandhar Central and one each at Adampur and Jalandhar North.

An interesting thing witnessed this time was that the Aam Aadmi Party candidates had managed their party booths outside the polling stations well. The facilities at the model ‘Pink booths’ handled only by the women polling officers were enjoyed by voters. Owing to instructions by the EC to ensure maintenance of the Covid protocol at all polling booths, provision of masks and one-time use hand gloves was made almost everywhere.

The altercation at Rainik Bazaar in Jalandhar was resolved without any police complaint getting lodged. The SAD-BSP workers held a dharna outside the polling booth at Kot Rani in Phagwara for almost an hour this evening alleging only the Congress polling agent was allowed to be present during the sealing of EVMs, but later it was resolved at the intervention of the candidate and BSP state chief Jasvir Garhi.