Ludhiana, June 19: By 1 a.m., voter turnout in the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll stood at 33.42 percent, with polling continuing steadily throughout the day following a sluggish start. The seat fell vacant after the death of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January this year.
Polling began at 7 a.m. across all booths and will continue until 6 p.m., with vote counting scheduled for June 23. Turnout was tepid in the initial hours—just 8.50 percent by 9 a.m.—but rose to 21.51 percent by 11 a.m. A handful of voters arrived early, hoping to beat the midday heat.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) introduced key accessibility measures, offering vehicle assistance to senior citizens and persons with disabilities. The initiative drew praise from across the constituency, with many elderly and differently abled voters describing it as dignified and empowering.
“In a first-of-its-kind initiative, all polling stations in Ludhiana West have made arrangements for safe mobile phone deposit,” said the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab in a post on X, adding that the step was intended to improve the voter experience while maintaining secrecy in the voting process.
Four main contenders are in the fray among a total of 14 candidates vying for the seat. AAP has fielded industrialist and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, 61, who is also known for his philanthropic work. Representing the Congress is 51-year-old Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a former minister and twice MLA from this seat before he was defeated by Gogi in the 2022 Assembly polls by 7,512 votes.
The BJP’s candidate is Jiwan Gupta, a senior leader and member of the Punjab BJP’s core committee. He earlier served as the party’s state general secretary. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has nominated lawyer and former Ludhiana Bar Association president Parupkar Singh Ghuman.
After casting his vote at GGN Public School, Ghuman said, “I want to thank all those who have been voting at various booths since morning. We are receiving a very positive response, and it feels really good. It is very encouraging.”
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, also took to X to appeal to voters: “My appeal to the voters of Ludhiana West is that you must exercise your right to vote. You must fulfil your duty for the development and progress of your area. Do not consider today a holiday—definitely go and cast your vote.”
In total, 1,75,469 voters are eligible to cast their ballots in this crucial by-election.
