Chandigarh: Voting is underway across Punjab for elections to eight municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats covering a total of 1,896 wards. Due to the intense heat, a large number of voters reached polling stations early in the morning to cast their votes.
According to the Punjab State Election Commission, voter turnout across the state reached 45.60 per cent till 2 pm. Tight security arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of polling.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu was reportedly stopped by heavy police deployment while heading towards Dhuri. During the incident, a heated exchange took place between Bittu and police officials. He was on his way after receiving information that BJP leader Prof Onkar Singh Sidhu had allegedly been detained by police in Dhuri.
According to official information, a total of 7,555 candidates are contesting these local body elections, while around 35.45 lakh voters are eligible to decide their fate. For the polling process, 1,014 polling booths have been established across the state.
Nearly 35,000 election staff members have been deployed on duty, while around 32,000 police personnel have been stationed to ensure peaceful and fair polling.
These civic elections are being viewed as a semi-final ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. All major political parties, including the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, the Indian National Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiromani Akali Dal, have put full strength behind their candidates during campaigning.
