Some technical glitches, skirmishes at some places but the single-phase polling was generally peaceful
Punjab today recorded an estimated 70 per cent polling during which technical glitches and stray incidents of violence were reported in the state which is seeing a high-stake contest among Congress, new entrant AAP and ruling SAD-BJP combine.
"Nearly 70 per cent polling has taken place," an election office spokesman said here giving the preliminary figures of poll percentage.
"Barring stray incidents of violence the polling in single-phase remained peaceful," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP- elections) V K Bhawra said.
Two persons were injured in a clash which took place between AAP and Congress workers at Sultanpur village in Sangrur district, police said.
In Tarn Taran district, a Congress worker identified as Jagjit Singh was injured when an Akali supporter allegedly opened fire at him outside a polling booth in Lalu Ghuman village, they said.
A large number of voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines, installed for the first time in the ongoing Punjab Assembly polls, developed snags during the polling process in the state.
A technical snag was reported in VVPAT machines in Majitha and Sangrur, an election office spokesman said, adding that the matter had been referred to the ECI.
Due to a snag in the machines, polling had to be called off a number of times, Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V K Singh said, adding that these machines were replaced by others.
Over 79 per cent electors had cast their votes in the 2012 assembly polls. The final figure of today's voting is still awaited as all those who were inside the polling booths will be allowed to vote, an election official spokesman said here.
Shortly before the polling was to end, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal "thanked Punjabis for peaceful polling and reposing faith in SAD-BJP alliance."
A statement issued by Badal's spokesman quoted him as saying, "Moved by people's love despite negative agenda." However, this time around 70 per cent out of the total 1.98 crore electors exercised their franchise to seal the fate of 1,145 candidates including Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and Deputy, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia and Punjab Congress President and the party's chief ministerial candidate, Capt Amarinder Singh.
The total number of electors in the state is 1,98,79,069, including 93,75,546 females. There are 415 transgender voters.
The total number of candidates in the fray include 81 women and a transgender.
(With agency inputs)
1. Inked
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An elderly Indian voter shows her inked finger after casting her vote in assembly elections at a polling station on the outskirts of Jalandhar on Saturday
Image courtesy: AFP
2. Lining Up
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Actor and comedian Binnu Dhillon (R) standing in a queue, along with others, to cast his vote at a polling station at Patiala in Punjab on Saturday
Image courtesy: PTI
3. Punjab Elections
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A man looks on as he arrives to cast his vote inside a polling station during the state assembly election in the northern state of Punjab, in the village of Nada, India
Image courtesy: Reuters
4. Casting Votes
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Gurdas Singh Badal, former MP and brother of Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal shows his inked finger after casting his vote for Assembly elections in Badal village in Muktsar district on Saturday
Image courtesy: PTI
5. Voters lining up to vote
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Voters wait in a long queue at a polling station to cast their votes for Punjab Assembly elections at Badal village in Muktsar on Saturday
Image courtesy: PTI
6. Vetting for Voting
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Indian paramilitary soldier inspects identification cards belonging to voters as they arrive to cast their vballots in the Punjab Legislative Assembly and Amritsar Lok Sabha elections at a polling centre in a village on the outskirts of Amritsar
Image courtesy: AFP
7. Navjot Singh SIdhu
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Indian cricketer-turned-politician, former member of parliament and current Congress Party candidate for the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Navjot Singh Sidhu (C) speaks to the press after casting his vote in the Punjab Legislative Assembly and Amritsar Lok Sabha elections
Image courtesy: AFP
8. Punjab CM Parkash SIngh Badal
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Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal casting his vote for Assembly polls in Badal village in Muktsar district on Saturday.
Image courtesy: PTI
9. Udta Punjab
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The ECI reported Rs 58.02 crore cash, 12.43 lakh litres liquor worth 13.34 crore, 2598 kgs of drugs & narcotics worth 18.26 crore were seized in Punjab
Image source: File photo
10. Horsing around
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SAD president and Deputy Chief Minister Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal in Badal village in Muktsar district on polling day on Saturday
Image source: PTI
