Polling crosses 40 per cent

Chandigarh, Feb 13 (UNI) An estimated 45 per cent of the 1.65 crore voters in Punjab had exercised their franchise by this afternoon in 115 of the 117 assembly constituencies and the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency despite inclement weather in what is seen as a decisive battle between the ruling Congress and the SAD-BJP combine.

People, specially in rural areas, spread out their umbrellas and made it to the polling booths despite continuing showers.

According to official figures available with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here, the polling continued to be higher in the Malwa belt as compared to the Majha and Doaba areas.

There was more enthusiasm amongst the rural voters, including women, and long queues could be seen of voters wrapped in blankets, with raincoats or umbrellas outside the poll booths throughout the state.

Polling percentage touched 45 per cent in districts of Mansa, Bathinda, Firozpur, Moga, Mansa, Sangrur followed by Jalandhar, Barnala, Muktsar and Mohali, Faridkot, Nawan Shahr and Patiala.

Urban centres in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Patiala saw a lacklustre response to the polling till afternoon but the pace was reportedly picking up now.

The polling was by and large peaceful except for a minor scuffle between Congress and SAD activists in Badal village in the Lambi constituency from where SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal is contesting.

Finance Minister and Congress candidate from prestigious Amritsar Lok Sabha seat Surinder Singla was booked for assaulting a poll official on duty in a polling station in the Majitha assembly segment this afternnoon, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sundaram Krishan said.

In another incident, a nephew of Congress MP from Jalandhar Rana Gurjit Singh, was booked for firing towards the house of a SAD supporter in Sidhwan village in Kapurthala constituency, where Mr Rana's wife Rajbans Kaur is a ruling Congress candidate.

Editors: here pick up suitably from earlier series.

UNI