Polling progressing smoothly in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, July 19 (UNI) Polling in the Presidential election, which began in the Committee Rooms of the Punjab and Haryana Legislative Assemblies here this morning, was progressing smoothly.

As many as 55 of the 117 members cast their votes so far in the Punjab Assembly, while 81 of the 90 members did so in Haryana Assembly, official sources said.

Prominent among those who cast their ballots in Punjab Assembly were Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, former chief minister Amarinder Singh and Congress Legislature Party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal. Member of Parliament from Rajya Sabha Ambika Soni also exercised her franchise in the Punjab Assembly.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former chief minister Bhajan Lal and his son Kuldip Bishnoi, a MP, were among those who cast their votes in the Haryana Assembly.

The polling, being held under tight security, will decide the fate of UPA-Left nominee Pratibha Patil and NDA supported Independent candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who have locked horns in the election of the 13th President of the country.

In the Electoral College for presidential polls, Punjab with 117 MLAs has vote value of 114 per legislator while in 90-member Haryana assembly, it is 112 per member.

In Punjab Assembly, of the 117 MLAs, 49 belonged to the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and 19 to its alliance partener BJP, Congress has 44 MLAs and three are independents.

Of the 13 Lok Sabha MPs from Punjab, SAD has eight, BJP three and Congress two. In the Rajya Sabha, SAD has three while Congress has four MPs.

In Haryana Assembly, the Congress has strength of 67 MLAs, Indian National Lok Dal nine, Bharatiya Janata Party two, Bahujan Samaj Party and Nationalist Congress Party one each, while 10 MLAS are independent.

Of the 10 MPs from Haryana, nine belonged to Congress and one to the BJP. In the Rajya Sabha, INLD has two MPs while Congress has three MPs.

UNI