The Punjab State Election Commission has directed the deputy commissioners to appoint microobservers for the vote counting of the sensitive and hypersensitive districts of the state.
The Punjab State Election Commission (PSEC) will begin counting the votes today (February 17, Wednesday) for 2,302 districts in 117 civic bodies, whose voting took place on February 14 (Sunday).
However, the result of the SAS Nagar municipal corporation is likely to be announced later, as the Punjab electoral commission announced that it will be reconvened in two municipal corporation booths, and the vote count is scheduled for 18 February.
The decision was announced on a day when a replay was held at three Patran and Samana city council booths in Patiala following reports that electronic voting machines were damaged by some criminals.
A total of 9,222 candidates are in the fray for elections to 2,302 districts of eight municipal corporations from Abohar, Bathinda Batala, Kapurthala, Mohali, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot and Moga, 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats.
Of the total number of candidates, 2,832 are independent, 2,037 from the ruling Congress and 1,569 are nominated by the SAD. The BJP, AAP and BSP presented 1,003, 1,606 and 160 candidates, respectively.
The State Elections Commission (SEC) had enabled 4,102 polling stations, of which 1,708 were declared sensitive and 861 hypersensitive. Around 7,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used to vote.
On Tuesday, the PSEC also directed deputy commissioners to appoint microobservers for the vote counting of sensitive and hypersensitive districts.
In the vote count, the Commission ordered IAS, PCS or other senior officials to be delegated as micro-observers in sensitive and hypersensitive rooms. Opposition parties have accused the ruling Congress in Punjab of taking booths and engaging in violence.
The civic body polls are considered crucial as they were the first electoral battle after the agitation of farmers over the central government’s farm laws began.
The BJP and SAD are contesting the elections alone after the latter left the National Democratic Alliance over controversial agricultural laws.
While the election results would show if the SAD has managed to turn its exit from the NDA, and by distancing itself from the farm laws and the BJP, into political capital, for the BJP it is going to be a referendum on farm laws. which has seen thousands of farmers from Punjab and neighboring states protest outside of Delhi since late November 2020.
As for Congress, the local body polls are another test of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s policies, as well as his support for the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Orderly replay in 2 polling places in SAS Nagar in Punjab
Punjab’s electoral commission on Tuesday ordered that they reappear in two booths of the SAS Nagar municipal corporation on February 17 after receiving reports of irregularities during the vote on February 14.
The order comes one day that a replay was carried out at three Patran and Samana city council booths in Patiala, following reports that electronic voting machines were damaged by some criminals.
“The PSEC received reports of irregularities during the voting of the subdivisional magistrate and counting officer through the SAS Nagar deputy commissioner and district election officer,” an official spokesperson said.
They sought to re-roll at booth number 32 and 33 of pavilion number 10 of Sahibzada Ajit Singh of SAS Nagar Municipal Corporation, PSEC spokesman said.
The commission announced the invalidity of the first votes made in these booths and ordered that it be repeated on February 17 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The count of the entire municipal corporation of SAS Nagar will take place on February 18, the spokesperson said.
Repolling was held in three booths of the Patran and Samana municipal councils in Patiala on Tuesday. Patiala District Deputy Commissioner and Elections Officer Kumar Amit said 87.72 percent of the votes were recorded at the 11th District 8 voting booth in Patran.
He said that 57.72 percent of voter turnout was registered in voting booths number 22 and 23 of district number 11 in Samaná.
When and where to see the Punjab civic body survey results
Readers can keep track of the latest updates and news on the outcome of the 2021 Punjab municipal elections by following the live election results blog at firstpost.com.
The Punjab Municipal Election Result 2021 LIVE blog will provide information on the candidates, their election status, and other news and analysis.
Readers can also visit the Punjab Election Commission website pbsec.gov.in for election results.
The vote concluded on February 14 amid skimming
More than 70 percent of the vote was registered in elections to more than a hundred civic bodies in Punjab on Sunday amid street skirmish incidents in some places.
The opposition parties had accused Congress of committing acts of violence and misusing the government machinery, an accusation denied by the ruling party.
According to a spokesperson for the Punjab State Election Commission, there was a 71.39 percent turnout in the elections, which were voted on from 8 am to 4 pm. The highest share of 82.99 percent was recorded in the Mansa district, while the lowest was in SAS Nagar with 60.08 percent.
According to officials, seven people were injured in Rupnagar after workers from the ruling Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal clashed after a heated argument in Rupnagar’s No. 1 district.
Skirmishes and brawls between congressional activists and opposition parties were also reported in Batala, Rajpura, Tarn Taran, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Samana, Rupnagar, Nabha, Nangal, Mohali and Ferozepur.
In Kapurthala’s Sultanpur Lodhi, an Akali worker was injured in a clash with congressional sympathizers. SAD workers alleged that congressional supporters tried to control the voting booth. They alleged that activists from the ruling party fired into the air.
Up to 19,000 police officers were deployed to ensure free and fair elections, an official said. Voters were also screened with thermal scanners at the polls in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officials said the state has 39,15,280 voters, including 20,49,777 men, 18,65,354 women and 149 transsexuals.
With PTI inputs
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She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.