Punjab Panchayat Election 2024: 77% voting, 6 injured in 2 firing incidents
Tampering with voter lists; three firing incidents in Sohan Sain Bhagat (Tarn Taran), Khudda (Patiala) and Kotla Mehal Singhwala (Moga); wrong voter lists printed; and a handful of incidents of booth capturing/ tampering with votes marked polling for the panchayat elections in Punjab today.
Around six persons were reportedly injured in the two firing incidents at Sohan Sain Bhagat and Khudda, with two having received bullet injuries. Besides, four others are reported to have been injured in other clashes.
Various incidents of stone pelting were also reported across the state, especially after the voting was over and authorities wanted to change the venue for counting of votes.
A police officer was also injured in clashes near Patran (Patiala), while two persons sustained minor injuries in a clash at Karamgarh village of Barnala.
In Khudda, miscreants first reportedly barged into a polling booth and forcibly took away the ballot box, which was later recovered in a burnt condition from a nearby field.
In Chicharwala village of Patiala and Lohke Khurd village of Ferozepur, some miscreants reportedly poured a solution into the ballot boxes, spoiling the votes that had been polled. In this poll, votes are cast on ballot papers.
Repoll ordered in six villages and will be held tomorrow. These are Mansa Khurd, Lohke Khurd, Kotla Mehar Singhwala, Khuda, Kheti Raju Singh and Karimnagar Chicharwala. Poll cancelled at Lakhmir ke Uttar in Ferozepur.
Election countermanded for one post at Langomahal and for sarpanch's post at Kallu Sohal because of candidates' death.
Even in Khwaspura (Ropar), the native village of late BSP supremo Kanshi Ram, the ballot papers were printed with some mistakes. It was only when the correct papers were sent around noon that villagers cast their votes.
In Babbehali village of Gurdaspur, there were incorrect markings on ballot papers next to names of five candidates. Even in Chak Kalan village of Banga, the ballot paper was incorrectly printed. State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhari said that re-poll is ordered only after the district election officer (Deputy Commissioner) sends a report. “We have received report from just two DCs, following which repoll at two panchayats has been ordered.”
The total percentage of votes polled during the elections for electing sarpanches and panches for the 13,229 villages of the state was 77 per cent. Mansa has reported a voting percentage of 83.
Though the elections are not being contested on party symbols, all political parties in the state are backing their supporters with their (political) might. Polling started at 8 am today and votes continued to be polled till 5.30 pm as voters who had come to the booths before 4 pm were allowed to cast their votes.
There were innumerable incidents of the voter lists being tampered with leading to protests at all these places. In villages like Kothe Atthchak of Jagraon; Gillan village of Sultanpur Lodhi, Bhala village of Ajnala, Mangewala village of Moga, besides several others, voters alleged that there was a mismatch in voting lists given to them by the civil administration and the voter lists that were inside the polling booths.
Even after the voting ended and when the counting started, allegations continue to fly back and forth between candidates supported by AAP and other political parties about results being manipulated. Protests and dharnas, after the counting of votes, were reported from various places.
State Election Commissioner Chaudhari said that the Commission was able to get elections conducted smoothly, on time and without any major hiccup.
“Throughout the day, I remained in regular touch with Deputy Commissioners and election observers and was getting regular feedback from them. Any clarifications/ complaints were addressed in real time,” he said.
