Chandigarh, May 13: An estimated over 66 per cent of
total 1.16 crore electors exercised their franchise seeking
the fate of 139 candidates for the nine Lok Sabha seats in
Punjab the polling to which was peaceful barring sporadic
incidents of violence and minor skirmishes in which 18
activists of different political outfits were injured,
including ten of the main opponent Congress.
Barring minor clashes at a few places the polling in the
state remained "very peaceful" with no major untoward
incident reported from any where, Punjab's Chief Electoral
Officer Kusumjit Sidhu told reporters after culimnation of
poll exercise. The polling percentage of 66 per cent is
higher as compared to 61.59 per cent polling in the 2004 Lok
Sabha poll. In the first phase of polling for 4 seats of
Bathinda, Patiala, Sangrur and Ferozepur 73.2 per cent of the
52.75 lakh voters had sealed the fate of 79 candidates.
Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib and Jalandhar recorded
over 65 per cent polling each, Khadoor Sahib registered over
69 per cent polling, Hoshiarpur over 61 per cent, Ludhiana
over 62 per cent, Fatehgarh Sahib over 63 per cent and
Faridkot over 64 per cent.
She said thatthe polling was high in rural areas as
comparison to urban areas.
In a clash between ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and
Congress supporters outside Kot Sadar Khan polling booth in
Moga district four family members, all activists of Congress,
were injured as lethal wepons were used in the crime, police
said.
At least two supporters of SAD were injured when a
group of people allegedly attempted to vitiate the peaceful
atmosphere at Cheema village falling in the jurisdiction of
Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat.
At Duneke village on the outskirts of Moga city, irked by
clicking of their pictures while allegedly carrying weapons in
vehicles, ruling SAD activists purportedly owing allegiance to
former minister Tota Singh's son Makhan Singh "assaulted" two
scribes.
While the scribes alleged that the Akali supporters fired
in air to terrorise them and also threw some chemical
substance on one of the journalist of a private channel,
Moga police chief Ashok Kumar Bath denied the accusation.
Two Congress MLAs- Joginder Pal Jain (Moga) and Darshan
Singh Brar (Baghapurana) were booked by police under separate
cases in Moga district. Police have registered case under the
Scheduled Caste and Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act
against Jain.
While Jain was booked by police for beating a car driver
and using casteist remarks against him at Duneke village, a
case was registered against'Brar for forcibly entering a
polling booth at Baghapurana.
A clash also took place at Akalsar village in Moga
district in which a Congress activists was allegedly thrashed
by SAD activists who also damaged his car.
Around six "outsiders" with shar-edged weapons were
arrested by police from Bhagal village in Tarn Taran while
they were planning to disrupt the polling process, police
said.
Polling remained disrupted for about 15 minutes at
a polling station at Hargobindpur following the death of
polling officer Ashok Kumar due to suspected cardiac failure.
Reports of clashes between SAD and Congress workers have
been received from Faridkot, Tarn Taran and Amritsar where
even gun shots were also fired in air by some persons, police
said adding that at least 11 persons received minor
injuries.
Punjab DGP K K Attri said that a total of five cases were registered in the state which included one case each at
district Shahid Bhagat Singh Nagar, Batala, Khanna and two
cases at Moga. The polling remained suspended for a brief period at around 11 polling stations in Moga district and one at Phagwara due to malfunctioning of the Electronic Voting
Machines (EVMs). However, polling became normal after these were either replaced or techical snag in them rectified.
Punjab's nine seats - Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib,
Jalandhar (reserve), Fatehgarh Sahib (reserve), Hoshiarpur
(reserve), Anandpur Sahib, Ludhiana and Faridkot (reserve) -
went to polls along with other states in the fifth and final
phase of countrywide election to Lok Sabha seats today.
An estimated 1.16 crore voters sealed the fate of 139
candidates in Punjab, including ten women and 65 independents.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its ally BJP and
opposition Congress and the BSP have fielded their candidates
on all the nine seats.
Prominent among those whose fate was sealed included
Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu (BJP) from
Amritsar, actor-turned-politican Vinod Khanna (BJP) from his
traditional bastion Gurdaspur, Lok Sabha deputy speaker
Charanjit Singh Atwal (SAD) from Fatehgarh Sahib seat, sugar
baron Rana Gurjit Singh (Congress) from Khadoor Sahib, former
Punjab Governor Lt Gen (retd) B K N Chhibber (BSP) from
Amritsar, former Punjab Congress chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee
from Jalandhar (reserve) seat and singer-turned-politician
Hans Raj Hans (SAD) also from Jalandhar.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 00:00