At 78.6%, Punjab equals ’12 turnout

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 4

Punjab recorded 78.62 per cent polling, almost the same as in 2012 (78.67), as the state went to the hustings today to elect 117 representatives for the 14th Assembly. But for a few incidents of firing, skirmishes and technical glitches in VVPAT machines, polling was by and large peaceful.

The turnout in rural constituencies was higher than those in urban segments. Mansa, with a large number  of rural votes, recorded the highest poll percentage at 87.34 while the majority urban SAS Nagar saw the lowest turnout at 71.97. The Election Commission was expecting the percentage to go as high as 85. 

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The high-pitched election saw a three-cornered contest among the Akali Dal-BJP alliance, the Congress and new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

There were two incidents of violence. Akali and Congress supporters clashed at Lalu Ghuman village in Tarn Taran and Ropowali village in Fatehgarh Churian. There were incidents of firing outside a polling booth in Guruharsahai and at Lohgarh village in Dera Bassi constituency.

“We have registered cases against the accused in all cases. Barring these, polling was peaceful. We had put in place an unprecedented security cover, deputing 30,400 personnel of the central security forces and 55,000 of the Punjab Police,” said Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, VK Singh, and ADGP VK Bhawra. The latter said after the twin blasts in Maur, anti-terror SWAT teams had been deployed too. 

The voting, that began at 8 am, was brisk till noon, but slowed down in many constituencies in the afternoon. While reports of cash and liquor being distributed to woo voters flooded the social media, the election authorities said they had received no such complaints.

“Other than the 100 election observers in the state, assigned by the Election Commission, 8,166 micro-observers were appointed by us, and they will file a report from the ground. Appropriate action will be taken if attempts to influence voters have been made,” said Singh.

After Delhi, AAP has set its hopes on staking claim to power in Punjab, even as the ruling alliance and the Congress have used their might to stop the new entrant.

With the youth seemingly swaying towards AAP, it looks like the party has an advantage. But vote mechanics played out by the two arch rivals of Punjab politics — including consolidation of the Hindu urban votes as well as those of three deras, “Punjabi versus outsider” campaign and accusation of AAP’s alliance with radicals  — made the contest tough, with each party having its pockets of influence.  Whether AAP’s strategy to win over young voters (more than 50 per cent of the electorate)  did succeed  will be only known on the counting day, March 11.