PATIALA, Sept 5: Moderate and peaceful polling was reported in the Patiala parliamentary constituency. However, the number of total votes polled dipped from 63 per cent in the last parliamentary elections to 57.5 per cent this time.There was a decline in polling in the urban areas of Patiala and Rajpura, which registered 45 and 53 per cent polling. Dakala Assembly segment, which last time registered the highest polling in this constituency, this time polled 66 per cent votes against the 70 per cent in last elections.The decline in the percentage in polling is attributed to the general indifference of the voter to the frequent elections, according to political observers. The sharp showers in several parts of the constituency, including Patiala, Rajpura, Dera Bassi, Banur also had its impact on polling.Deputy Commissioner Jasbir Singh Bir said barring minor incidents, including attempts by two persons to cast bogus votes and one incident where a person was caught pasting posters near a polling station at Chhat village, the polling generally passed off peacefully.The following is the percentage of the votes polled in the nine Assembly segments - Patiala: 45 per cent, Dakala: 66 per cent, Samana: 62 per cent, Shutrana: 60 per cent, Ghanaur: 56 per cent, Rajpura: 53 per cent, Lehragagga: 60 per cent, Sunam: 60 per cent and Banur: 56 per cent.
