Punjab Assembly Elections 2022 Updates: Over 63% Voter Turnout Recorded Till 5 PM

Punjab chief electoral officer Dr S Karuna Raju said a total of 63.44 per cent voter turnout had been registered until 5 pm for the assembly elections. Raju further said 18 FIRs had been registered across the state, while special care was given to specially abled and senior citizens who came to cast their vote. ANI

Voters of Basiala village in the Garhshankar assembly segment boycotted polling on Sunday in protest against the closing of a railroad crossing. They refused to vote despite efforts by the administration, demanding that first the railroad on Jalandhar-SBS Nagar-Jaijon rail track near their village be reopened. Basiala village sarpanch Hardev Singh said the crossing was closed three years ago for reasons best known to the railway authorities. He said it caused difficulties for inhabitants of Basiala, Bakapur Guru, Rasoolpur, Chauhra, Denowal Kalan and Dogarpur villages falling under Anandpur Lok Sabha constituency. “Due to the closing of the gates, commuters have been forced to travel a distance of about 2 km to reach the village. There are so many sharp turns on this alternative narrow route and it is very difficult to move tractor-trailers and school buses,” he said. PTI

Over 63 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in Punjab, where the polling for all 117 assembly seats was held amid tight security arrangements. The polling ended at 6 pm and final voting figure is yet to be out. The voting started at 8 am. A total of 700 companies of the central armed police force besides the state police personnel have been deployed for peaceful polling. A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, are in the fray. According to the Punjab chief electoral office, an average voter turnout of 63.44 per cent was recorded till 5 pm. PTI

Over 63 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in Punjab, where the polling for all 117 assembly seats was held amid tight security arrangements. The polling ended at 6 pm and final voting figure is yet to be out. The voting started at 8 am. A total of 700 companies of the central armed police force besides the state police personnel have been deployed for peaceful polling. A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, are in the fray. According to the Punjab chief electoral office, an average voter turnout of 63.44 per cent was recorded till 5 pm. PTI

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi might be leading the Congress’s charge in the Punjab assembly elections, but his brother Manohar Singh is fighting ‘alone’, and says he was ignored by the party’s high command despite having ‘winnability’ according to their own survey. Contesting as an Independent candidate from Bassi Pathana in Charan, Manohar told ANI that the party had made a ‘good decision’ by choosing Channi as their chief ministerial candidate. “The party will be benefitted by work done by my brother and they will form the government,” he said. READ MORE

AAP chief ministerial face Bhagwant Mann is “already CM” for the family, said his mother Harpal Kaur. “By God’s grace, everyone loves him. For us, he has already become the CM. People love him,” she said. Following this, Mann replied saying if a mother had said this, what else would one want. “If a mother has said this, what else does one want… Youth, students everyone wants a change,” he added. Mann cast his vote in Mohali on Sunday, as polling is on for all 117 assembly seats of Punjab. Mann is up against incumbent CM Charanjit Singh Channi, the CM face of the Congress, as well as Captain Amarinder Singh, who is being projected as the CM face of the BJP alliance, and Sukhbir Singh Badal, projected as the Akali Dal CM face. ANI

At women-managed pink polling booths in Punjab, enthusiasm was seen among voters, especially those voting for the first time. There are 196 pink polling stations for women while 70 polling stations are being managed by persons with disabilities (PwD). PTI

Amritsar-based famous conjoined twins Sohan Singh and Mohan Singh, fondly known as Sohna-Mohna, cast their separate votes in Amritsar. Sohna-Mohna had recently been handed over two separate electoral photo identity cards by Punjab’s chief electoral officer S Karuna Raju. Both turned 18 last year and voted for the first time. The conjoined twins said they were extremely happy as both were able to exercise their voting rights. Officials said the conjoined twins were treated as two separate voters and special arrangements were made for them so that both could maintain secrecy of their votes. PTI

(Conjoined twins Sohna and Mohna show their ink-marked fingers after casting their vote in the Punjab assembly elections, at a polling station near Amritsar on Sunday. Image: PTI)

A voter turnout of 49.81 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in Punjab, where the polling is underway for all 117 assembly seats amid tight security arrangements. The voting started at 8 am and will continue till 6 pm. Tight security arrangements have been made for conduct the polls in a peaceful manner. A total of 700 companies of the central armed police force besides state police personnel have been deployed. A total of 1,304 candidates, including 93 women and two transgenders, are in the fray for the high-stake electoral contest. There are 24,740 polling stations, of which 2,013 have been identified as critical while 2,952 are vulnerable, said Punjab chief electoral officer S Karuna Raju. Punjab is witnessing a multi-cornered contest among Congress, AAP, SAD-BSP, BJP-PLC-SAD (Sanyukt) and the Sanyukt Samaj Morcha (SSM), a political front of various farmer bodies. PTI

The Congress party will form government with 2/3rd majority in Punjab: CM Charanjit Singh Channi, at Kharar

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Bikram Singh Majithia had a chance encounter today in Punjab. The two leaders stopped to briefly greet each other, and moved on.

Akali and BJP partnership is out in open, both are taking support from Dera Sacha Sauda. Let them team up, people of Punjab are teaming up against these beadbi (sacrilegious) partners and will teach them a lesson with their votes: CM Charanjit Singh Channi.

Over 30% voter turnout has been recorded till 1pm, this is a good sign. We will see a very good win in Patiala and nearby seats. If BJP-PLC and Dhindhsa’s party is getting a good response, then what else do we need: Capt Amarinder Singh

Not preparing for hung assembly. We will get 80+ seats. Voting is good. In some places it has crossed 50 % already and in some, 60%. Not scared by the hopes of people: AAP’s CM Face Bhagwant Mann

Sonu Sood was trying to enter a polling booth. During this, his car was confiscated and he was sent home. Action will be taken against him if he steps out of his house: Moga District PRO Pradbhdeep Singh

His sister Malvika Sood is contesting from Moga as a Congress candidate.

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi might be leading the Congress’s charge in the Punjab assembly elections, but his brother Manohar Singh is fighting ‘alone’, and says he was ignored by the party’s high command despite having ‘winnability’ according to their own survey. READ MORE

Sonu Sood’s car has impounded by Punjab police on the order of the Election Commission, after a complaint was registered by Moga’s Akali Dal Candidate that he is visiting polling booths to ‘influence’ voters.