Election Commission orders re-polling on May 26

Chandigarh, May 13 (UNI) Punjab Election Commission today announced that re-polling would be held on May 26 on those Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad zones where adjournment or cancellation of polling had been ordered by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The Election Commission said that in these Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad zones the counting of votes would not take place tomorrow as it was scheduled.

Stating this here a spokesman for the State Election Commission said the directions in this regard had already been issued to all the District Electoral Officers-cum-Deputy Commissioners, all Addl District Electoral Officers-cum-Addl Deputy Commissioners (Dev) of the state.

''The counting of Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishad votes was scheduled to be held tomorrow but with a view to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of re-poll at the Panchayat Samiti concerned and Zila Parishad polling booths, it has been decided that counting of the respective Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad zones would not take place in which such polling booths were located.'' Adding further, he said, ''If re-poll has been ordered in different booths falling in four or more different zones of any Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad, then the counting for the entire Panchayat Samiti or Zila Parishad shall stand postponed wherein such polling booths are located.'' On the recommendation of concerned Additional Deputy Commissioners (Dev)-cum-Additional District Electoral Officers about reported poll violations and disturbance of election process in the state on May 12, the Commission today ordered repoll in eleven more Polling Stations on May 26.

The concerned Returning Officers would fix date, time and place of counting of votes and send notices to this effect to all the contesting candidates.

The state commission had already ordered to repoll at 17 polling stations due to poll violations and disturbance of election process during polling in the state.

The Election Commission, on the orders of Punjab and Haryana High Court, had already postponed the elections in four zones of three Zila Parishads and one each in 15 Panchayat Samitis to May 26.

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