Voting underway in Punjab municipal corporations amid violence and controversies

Chandigarh: Polling commenced at 7 am on Sunday in five municipal corporations of Punjab—Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, and Phagwara. The voting process, set to conclude at 4 pm, also extends to 44 municipal councils. As of 1 pm, a voter turnout of 41% was recorded. Counting of votes will begin immediately after polling concludes, with results expected shortly thereafter.

Violence and disputes marred the voting process in several locations. In Abohar, police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse miscreants attempting to forcibly enter a polling booth. Meanwhile, clashes broke out between Akali Dal and Congress leaders during the municipal council elections in Mullanpur Dakha, Ludhiana.

In Patiala, BJP candidate Sushil Nayyar attempted self-immolation by pouring petrol on himself, alleging irregularities in the voting process. Nayyar claimed that fake votes were being cast in his ward. Separately, BJP leader Jaiinder Kaur accused outsiders of attacking their booth with bricks and swords, resulting in injuries to two individuals, including a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.

Amritsar witnessed tensions in Ward 85, where a dispute arose between supporters of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and an Independent candidate. Tragically, a newly-married woman lost her life in a road accident while on her way to cast her vote. Police are investigating the incident.

In Ludhiana’s Sahnewal area, residents created a ruckus, alleging that their names had been removed from the voters’ list, while the voting system showed their names online.

Elections were not conducted in seven wards of Patiala and eight wards of Moga due to High Court orders. Reports suggest alleged rigging during the nomination process in these areas.

Notably, Congress and BJP previously elected four mayors in the municipal corporations where voting is underway. However, political alignments have shifted, with two mayors moving from Congress to AAP and one from Congress to BJP.

The situation remains tense as authorities work to ensure a peaceful conclusion to the voting process.