Punjab voter turnout may not touch 2017 mark, AAP bastions among lowest

While Punjab recorded 65.14% polling in 2002, the numbers had been high since – 75.42% in 2007, 78.3% in 2012 and 77.36% in 2017.

The voter turn-out was also considerably low in AAP bastions in the Malwa region, from where a majority of its 20 MLAs had won in 2017. The polling in Mansa, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Muktsar and Sangrur districts was lower than in 2017. In Malwa region, Gidderbaha recorded the highest polling, at 77.80%.

Chamkaur Sahib and Bhadaur, from where Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi is seeking to be elected, recorded polling of 70% and 71.30% respectively till 5 pm. Channi is the sitting MLA from Chamkaur Sahib.

In Dhuri, where AAP CM face Bhagwant Mann is a candidate, 68% had voted till 5 pm.

Voters in queue at village Naruana in Bhatinda Rural. (Express Photo by Gurmeet Singh)

The strongholds of the Badals at Lambi and Jalalabad from where former CM Parkash Singh Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal are contesting saw 72.40% and 77% voting respectively.

Mansa saw 77.21% polling, Malerkotla 72.84%, Fazilka 73.59%, Sangrur 70.43% and Muktsar 74.12%.

Patiala city, from where former CM Capt Amarinder Singh is seeking re-election, saw 62.10% voting.

The BJP stronghold of Sujanpur, in Pathankot district, recorded 71.5%, the highest voting percentage in the Majha region. In Doaba region, Sultanpur Lodhi recorded 68.1%.

Voting for Punjab Assembly election 2022 in progress at one of the polling booths at Nayagaon near Chandigarh. (Express Photo By Kamleshwar Singh)

The Election Commission restrained actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood from visiting polling booths in Moga following complaints that he was trying to influence voters. His vehicle has also been impounded by police, officials said. Sood denied the charges, saying other candidates were trying to buy votes. His sister Malvika Sood Sachar is a Congress candidate from Moga.

The Aam Aadmi Party raised multiple complaints of booth capturing in several areas and also alleged bogus voting. The state co-incharge, Raghav Chadha, alleged mismanagement by election staff at booths, where dysfunctional voting machines were not replaced for a long time.

There were a few minor incidents of face-offs between supporters of political parties at other places.

The three major parties in the fray, AAP, Akali Dal and Congress, all claimed victory with a two-thirds majority or a landslide.

Around 2.14 crore people were eligible for voting, including 1.02 crore women. A total of 1,304 candidates are in the fray for the 117 seats.

(With ENS, Delhi)