Chandigarh: The panchayat elections in Punjab, conducted on Tuesday, were marred by violence, allegations of irregularities, and instances of bogus voting. Despite polling taking place across more than 13,000 gram panchayats, the day was clouded by clashes, including firing and physical confrontations that resulted in multiple injuries.
Polling commenced at 8 am and concluded at 4 pm, enabling voters to elect both sarpanches and panches. Out of 1.33 crore registered voters—70.51 lakh men and 63.46 lakh women—approximately 1.05 lakh candidates competed for the sarpanch and panch positions, with 3,798 sarpanches and 48,861 panches being elected unopposed.
However, elections in 28 gram panchayats were either canceled or postponed for various reasons, and polling was suspended in Dalla and Pona villages in Ludhiana due to technical difficulties.
Despite robust security measures, violence broke out in several districts. In Patiala, two individuals were injured in a clash at a polling booth in Khunda village, where firing and stone-pelting occurred. The police reported that the conflict started when a group of outsiders confronted local polling agents, resulting in a confrontation that led to eight rounds being fired. The injured were transported to the hospital, with one victim, identified as Soni alias Teja Singh, suffering a gunshot wound.
In another violent episode in Tarn Taran district, four people were injured during a clash outside a polling station in Sohal Sain village. The altercation, involving rival factions, escalated into a violent struggle with firearms and sharp weapons. Police quickly intervened to restore order, and the injured were taken to the hospital. After calming the situation, authorities resumed polling.
Tragically, two government employees died on election duty. Lakha Singh, a 53-year-old senior sub-inspector with Punjab Police, passed away while at a polling booth in Barnala district. Another case involved Amarinder Singh, a 36-year-old school teacher from Fazilka, who suffered a heart attack on Monday night while preparing for his polling duty.
As the day progressed, reports of electoral malpractices surfaced. In Ropar district, bogus voting was discovered in Kotla Nihang and Tappriyan, prompting local authorities to initiate an investigation. Additionally, in Lohke Khurd village in Ferozepur, allegations of booth capturing emerged, with reports of ink being spilled on ballots to nullify votes. In Amritsar, polling was interrupted in two villages due to disputes over missing ballot papers.
The Congress party expressed strong concerns regarding the election process. A delegation led by Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of manipulating the nomination process, citing widespread irregularities and the wrongful rejection of candidates backed by the Opposition. Bajwa also criticized the use of an outdated voters’ list from 2023 instead of the revised 2024 list.
In some regions, Congress supporters staged protests, alleging that candidates backed by local MLAs were engaging in bogus voting with police collusion.
Despite these challenges, the elections proceeded after the Supreme Court rejected requests for postponement, highlighting the necessity of maintaining the democratic process. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, determined that halting elections on polling day would lead to “chaos.”
As polling stations closed and counting began, reports indicated a voter turnout of over 45 percent. Officials worked diligently to secure the counting process, although allegations of irregularities continued. In some areas, police had to fire shots into the air to disperse crowds who accused local authorities of selectively allowing certain individuals into polling stations, exacerbating concerns about election misconduct.
BOX
– Firing and stone-pelting in Patiala injured two, with allegations of outside interference.
– Four individuals were injured in Tarn Taran following a shooting during a voter dispute.
– The SC denied intervention in Punjab’s panchayat elections, deeming halting them a serious issue.
– Lakha Singh (53), a police officer, died while on duty in Barnala district during elections.
– A teacher from Fazilka died in Jalandhar after suffering a heart attack while on election duty.
– Voting was paused in Mansa Khurd village due to a ballot paper misprint.
– Voting was halted in Kothe Ath Chakki village of Jagraon due to disputes.
– Elections were canceled in Pona and Dalla villages.
