157 village panchayats elected unopposed in Ludhiana district
In a record of sorts, as many as 157 village panchayats have been elected unopposed in Ludhiana district, officials have confirmed.
It accounts for 17 (precisely 16.68) per cent of the total 941 village panchayats in the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population.
Besides, 213 sarpanches and 3,055 panches have also won without elections across 13 blocks in Ludhiana.
With 23 per cent sarpanches and 48 per cent panches getting elected unanimously, the election will be held for the posts of remaining 728 sarpanches and 3,336 panches in the district on October 15.
For the fiercely fought Panchayati Raj poll, as many as 1,968 candidates have been left in the fray for the posts of sarpanch and 7,587 contestants have been trying their luck for the posts of panch.
According to final election data, a copy of which is with The Tribune, a maximum of 38 of the total 116 village panchayats have been elected unopposed in the Machhiwara block while a minimum of two of the total 48 village panchayats have been elected unanimously in the Sudhar block.
A maximum of 49 of the total 160 and 116 sarpanches in Ludhiana-2 and Machhiwara blocks, respectively, have won without elections while a maximum of 540 of the total 1,020 panches have won without contest in the Ludhiana-2 block while a minimum of 114 of the total 305 panches have been elected unopposed in the Pakhowal block.
Among other blocks, five of the total 46 village panchayats, seven sarpanches, and 122 of the total 342 panches have been elected unopposed in the Dehlon block, 10 of the 62 village panchayats, 10 sarpanches, 170 of the 420 panches have won unanimously in the Doraha block, seven of the 81 village panchayats, 12 sarpanches, 243 of the 589 panches have won without elections in the Jagraon block, 15 of the 67 village panchayats, 17 sarpanches, and 226 of the 451 panches have been elected unopposed in the Khanna block, 14 of the 109 village panchayats, 21 sarpanches, and 296 of the 775 panches have won unanimously in the Ludhiana-1 block, 35 of the 160 village panchayats, 49 sarpanches, and 540 of the 1,020 panches have been elected without election in the Ludhiana-2 block, 38 of the 116 village panchayats, 49 sarpanches, and 433 of the 660 panches have been elected unopposed in the Machhiwara block, six of the 48 village panchayats, six sarpanches and 151 of the 326 panches have won unanimously in the Maloud block, three of the 39 village panchayats, five sarpanches, and 114 of the 305 panches have been elected without poll in the Pakhowal block, five of the 42 village panchayats, nine sarpanches, and 163 of the 312 panches have been elected unopposed in the Raikot block, nine of the 62 village panchayats, 13 sarpanches and 238 of the 410 panches have been elected unopposed in the Samrala block, eight of the 61 village panchayats, 10 sarpanches and 169 of the 383 panches have been elected unanimously in the Sidhwan Bet block and two of the total 48 village panchayats, five sarpanches and 190 of the total 398 panches have been elected unopposed in the Sudhar block.
No candidate for 74 wards
Surprisingly, no candidate has been left in the poll fray for 74 posts of panch across 13 blocks in Ludhiana district. These include a maximum of 20 wards in the Ludhiana-2 block, followed by 16 in Machhiwara, 10 in Ludhiana-1, 8 in Raikot, 7 in Sudhar, 5 in Jagraon, 3 in Khanna, 2 each in Samrala and Sidhwan Bet and one post has fallen vacant in the Doraha block.
