Minor scuffle at Badal, voters coming out in rains

Chandigarh, Feb 13: A scuffle between Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) workers took place at Badal village in the Lambi assembly constituency, even as the people of Punjab, braving the morning downpour, began coming out of their houses to exercise their franchise in a majority of the 115 of the 117 assembly constituencies and the Amritsar Parliamentary constituency.

Polling began on a dull note at 0800 hrs this morning in inclement weather and amidst tight security arrangements at 16,757 polling stations, including 4797 sensitive and 1034 hyper-sensitive booths manned by around 90,000 polling personnel. However, as the day progressed, voters, wrapped in blankets in the rural areas or holding umbrellas or wearing rain coats in the urban and semi-urban areas made their way to the polling booths to choose their representatives.

The polling will end at 1700 hrs this evening.

According to official reports reaching here, the polling was higher in the rural areas as compared to the urban areas. It was moderate to high in Gurdaspur district, Sirhind, Mohali, Kharar, Banur, Lambi, Faridkot, Majitha, Tarn Taran, Anandpur Sahib and a few other places. However, it was low to moderate in a few areas of the state, but was expected to pick-up as a large number of voters have made made up their minds to cast their votes notwithstanding the rains, which the farming community as described as being good for the wheat crop.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) when contacted said that despite inclement weather conditions, an estimated 15 percent of the 1.65 crore electorate had cast their votes till 1100 hours.

The election staff is on its toes and are trying their best to provide cover from the rain to the voters, in the verandhas of schools and colleges, where polling stations or booths are located.

There are no big lines of voters outside polling booths as voters preferred to remain indoors.

The polling so far was described as peaceful, barring the clash between Congress and SAD supporters at Badal village in the Lambi constituency, where SAD chief Prakash Singh Badal is in the fray.

A report from Muktsar said that the clash took place when the Congress candidate Mahesh Inder Singh objected to the threatening posture of SAD activist Bobby Badal towards ruling party workers.

According to the report, Mahesh Inder was manhandled by the SAD activists, but timely intervention by the police prevented the situation from taking an ugly turn. The matter has been brought to the notice of the Election Observer incharge of the constituency.

Meanwhile Mr Badal and his wife Mrs Surinder Kaur Badal cast their votes in their native village Badal, while Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and his MP wife Perneet Kaur cast their votes in Patiala town. Both the chief ministerial candidates while coming out of their respective polling booths flashed the victory sign.

UNI