Chandigarh/Mohali, 15 October, 2024: Polling for the panchayat elections in Punjab began at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, with large crowds lining up early to cast their votes and a firing incident in Sohal Sain village of Tarn Taran, leaving four people injured.
Reports from various parts of the state showed long voter lines, with people waiting patiently to vote. However, at several locations, provisions for elderly or physically challenged voters, such as wheelchairs, were lacking.
Voting is scheduled to continue until 4 p.m., after which counting will begin immediately.
In Chakk Kalan village, Nawanshahr, Asha Rani, a candidate for the post of Sarpanch, faced controversy after her election symbol, a ‘matka pot,’ was replaced by a ‘bucket’ on the voting machines. Her supporters demanded election cancellation, claiming elderly voters were misled.
“Our elderly were told to vote for the ‘matka pot,’ this confusion is unacceptable,” said Rani.
In Bagrian village, despite being attacked by 10 armed assailants days earlier, former sarpanch and current candidate Paramjit Singh stayed near a polling station to encourage his supporters.
According to griund reports, five suspects were arrested, and extra police were deployed to the sensitive polling station.
Singh expressed satisfaction with the security measures, vowing to remain at the booth until the voting and counting were completed.
In Mohali district, polling was brisk, with 13.2% turnout by 10 a.m. Majri block led with 16% turnout, followed by Kharar (15%), Dera Bassi (14.7%), and SAS Nagar (7%). Long queues, especially of women, were observed in Bhankharpur, Landran, Mullanpur, and other villages.
Some voters reported waiting for over two hours.
ADC (D) Sonam Chaudhary, visiting several polling stations, stated that voting was proceeding smoothly, with residents eager to vote early to finish before the workday. A total of 266 gram panchayats in Mohali district are holding elections, while 63 villages elected their panchayats unanimously.
