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Pawan/Charanjit Teja
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, May 19
Out of the total voter strength of 15,00,940, only 56.35 per cent turned up at the polling stations on Sunday. The final figures may change as the aforesaid number was announced as per the compilation of data till 9 pm.
District Election Officer Shivdular Singh Dhillon, while congratulating the polling staff, said the process was conducted in a peaceful manner. He informed that the counting of votes would take place on May 23.
The voters’ turnout is much lesser as compared to the last two Parliamentary polls, including the 2017 bypoll, necessitated after Capt Amarinder Singh resigned to become the Chief Minister of Punjab.
In 2017, over 70 per cent voter turnout was reported while in 2014 when Capt Amarinder Singh contested against BJP senior leader Arun Jaitely, the figure was 68.18%. Last time, 55% turnout was witnessed in 2004 General Elections when cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu won from a BJP ticket. During 2007 byelection and 2009 General Elections, the voter turnout was 67.10% and 65.62%, respectively.
The urban belt of the holy city appeared less enthusiastic which recorded a maximum of 57.92% (Amritsar North) votes while a minimum of 46% was recorded in Amritsar East. In the rural belt, Ajnala witnessed the highest turnout with 66% while Attari reported just 49%.
Congress candidate Gurjeet Aujla said that he was confident of his win. AAP candidate Kuldeep Dhaliwal said his party would make a history this time. “Opposition leaders were absent from their booths installed outside the polling stations, especially in the rural belt. This clearly indicates that they had conceded their defeat,” he said. He added that the final figure would be higher.
Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Daswinder Kaur of the CPI said people in urban areas refrained from voting and there was no queue outside hundreds of polling booths. We hope that anti-Congress and anti-SAD-BJP sentiments will benefit the PDA, she added.
State BJP president and local MP Shwait Malik said people voted in favour of Modi government. “We are returning in majority and there is no doubt about it,” he said.
The polls drew a lukewarm response in the border belt. Activists of the political parties had to make hard efforts to draw voters to the polling stations. Activists said people’s issues remain unaddressed even after casting votes every time so they were not willing to cast their votes. The election staff made announcements through gurdwaras, urging the people to turn up at polling booths.
Ranjit Singh, a villager in Attari, said, “I went to every door of the village to ask people to vote. Workers of our rivals too did the same. Polling staff made announcements but only 800 voters, out of 1,975, turned up at polling booths till 3 pm.”
Political parties don’t fulfill their poll promises and governments never try to meet the expectations of the common man. People ask for the employment, loan waiver and basic infrastructure when we ask them to vote, another resident said.
Some of the residents in Chinna village claimed that a section of voters was being lured through liquor and money. Generally, they get liquor and money in Assembly and panchayet elections but not in the Lok Sabha elections. So they don’t vote, they said.
“The election system needs major reforms. The government should conduct Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on the same day. Elections should not be conducted every year. Political parties should be legally liable to deliver their promises so people trust in the electoral process,” said Harjit Singh, a resident of Rajasansi village.
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