60.83% voter turnout in Nawanshahr

Tribune News Service

Nawanshahr, September 19

Out of the 4, 00,000 voters in the district, 60.83 per cent of them turned out to vote on Wednesday. Banga recorded around 56.91 per cent voters; Balachaur block had 68.20 per cent voters, while Nawanshahr, Saroya and Aur recorded 58.97, 65.55 and 55.97 per cent polling, respectively.

Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer, Vinay Bublani and SSP Deepak Hilori also visited the polling booths at Rattewal, Bullewal, Karimpur Dhiani and Balachaur villages to take stock of the voting for the Zila Parishad and Block Samities in the district.

They interacted with the polling staff, polling agents of different candidates and the voters. Besides, the DC and the SSP also visited Pojewal counting centre and took stock of the security arrangements for keeping the ballot boxes after polling and conducting counting of votes on September 22.

The polling has been conducted for as many as nine zones of Zila Parishad and 88 zones of Panchayat Samiti in the district. A total number of 636 polling booths, including 109 for Aur, 139 for Banga, 148 for Nawanshahr, 151 for Balachaur and 89 for Saroya block, had been set up. As many as 213 from Block Samiti and 27 in Zila Parishad candidates were in fray. Five counting centres had been set up at Nawanshahr, Banga, Balachaur, Aur and Pojewal for the counting of the votes on September 22, he added. The DC said elaborate arrangements for conducting free, fair, and impartial election had been made to facilitate the voters to exercise their franchise for strengthening democracy at the grass-roots level.

51 per cent votes polled in Hoshiarpur dist

Hoshiarpur: In Hoshiarpur district, about 51 per cent of the votes were cast in 25 seats of Zila Parishad and 208 zones of 10 Block Samitis today. On successful completion of the voting process, District Election Officer Esha Kalia expressed her gratitude to the public and the polling staff.

Around 24.95 per cent of the votes were cast till 12 noon and 37.34 per cent of the votes were polled till 2 pm. The elections for 211 zones were to be held for panchayat samiti, but three panchayat samities have been unanimously elected in Garhshankar zone's Manasawala, Tanda's Ghodewaha and Talwara's Baringli zones, which has reduced the number to 208.

Deputy Commissioner said 10 strong rooms had been set up for the counting of votes, among which JR Government Polytechnic College Hoshiarpur, Government College Hoshiarpur, Government Senior Secondary School Bhunga, Government Senior Secondary School (Boys) Tanda, Guru Teg Bahadar Khalsa College (Girls) Dasuya, SPN College Mukerian, Government Senior Secondary School, Hajipur, Government Senior Secondary School (Boys) Talwara Sector-1, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College, Mahilpur and Babbar Akali Memorial Khalsa College, Garhshankar.

He said on September 22, there would be a holiday for students of these educational institutes, whereas the school/ college staff will be present as usual.

The district election officer said about 47.45 per cent votes were polled in Hoshiarpur-1 block, while Hoshiarpur-2 witnessed 48.86 per cent polls. Bhunga, Mukerian, Hajipur, Talwara and Mahilpur witnessed 52, 51,52.85,40.55and 50.09 per cent votes, respectively.

61.63% polling in Kapurthala

Jalandhar: Kapurthala recorded 61.63 per cent polling during the Zila Parishad polls which were held today. During the polling which was held from 8 am to 4 pm, 57.51 per cent polling was held in Kapurthala block, 61.08 per cent in Nadala, 62 per cent in Dhilwan, 60.58 per cent in Sultanpur Lodhi and 60.96 per cent in Phagwara block.

DC Mohammed Tayyab and SSP Satinder Singh jointly inspected many booths. The DC said black boxes had been placed safely and the counting of votes shall take place on September 22. Notably, the polling staff involved in polling duties in the district will be on off tomorrow i.e. on September 20.