Ludhiana, June 19: The Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll recorded a 51.33% voter turnout by 7 pm on Thursday, as polling concluded peacefully across all 194 booths amid tight security and real-time monitoring.
Polling, which began at 7 am, saw a gradual rise in participation through the day—8.5% turnout by 9 am, 21.51% by 11 am, 33.42% by 1 pm, and 41.04% by 3 pm, as per Election Commission data. The final percentage may climb slightly once data from all polling stations is compiled.
The seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi earlier this year. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 23.
With 1,75,469 eligible voters, including 85,371 women and 10 third-gender individuals, the bypoll is seen as a prestige battle for all major political parties. The ruling AAP, which has fielded Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, hopes to retain the seat and validate its urban governance model under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Congress has reposed faith in former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, while Jiwan Gupta represents the BJP, and Parupkar Singh Ghuman is contesting on a SAD ticket.
Chief Minister Mann and all top candidates appealed to voters throughout the day to turn out in large numbers. Arora cast his vote early and visited religious shrines, including a gurdwara, temple, and dargah, seeking blessings.
Polling stations featured several voter-friendly initiatives, including:
- 100% live webcasting across booths
- Mobile deposit counters to ensure voting secrecy
- Help desks, wheelchairs, and pickup/drop facilities for senior citizens and persons with disabilities
- Drinking water and ‘chabeel’ stalls to provide relief from the heat
Polling was overseen from an integrated command and control centre using 235 CCTV cameras.
The bypoll’s outcome will offer a clear barometer of AAP’s urban popularity, test Congress’s ability to reclaim old bastions, and reflect on the BJP and SAD’s relevance in Punjab’s evolving political landscape.
