Polling commenced today at 0700 hrs on a peaceful note in four of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Punjab going to the polls in the fourth phase today.
An estimated 52,75,539 voters in the four cnstituencies, including 25.81 lakh women and 15,930 service voters will exercise their franchise till 1700 hrs in 5694 polling stations spread in the four constituencies.
The voters will decide the fate of 79 candidates including three women for the constituencies of Sangrur, Patiala, Ferozepur and Bathinda.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made at all pollling stations, half of which have been categorised as sensitive or hyper sensitive. The Election Commission had appointed 14 Observers for the constituencies to ensure a free and fair poll An estimated 30,000 civil employees are on poll duty while around 27,000 security force personnel which includes 56 companies of the paramilitary forces are on their toes to ensure a free and fair poll and instill confidence amongst the voters. While Bathinda and Patiala have been categorised as hyper sensitive constituencies, the other two are sensitive.
The polling parties reached their respective duty places yesterday evening while some reached this morning. Video teams with observers/duty magistrate have been stationed at hyper sensitive and sensitive polling stations so as to enable them to record any untoward incident during poll.
An estimated 8400 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used for the polling. In addition around 500 EVMs have been kept as eserve.
The Punjab Police has stationed reverse companies at the range headquarters of Patiala, Bathinda and Ferozepur to meet any ”adverse situation” and assist those security personnel who are on duty in the field.
Amongst the candidates whose fate will be decided today are Perneet Kaur, wife of former chief minister Amarinder Singh, who is seeking a hatrick of victories from Patiala and her son, ‘yuvraj’ Raninder Singh who is involved in a neck-and-neck race with the ‘bahu’ of the Badal’s, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, daughter-in-law of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in Bathinda.
The two former union ministers whose fate will also be decided are the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) secretary general Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Lok Bhalai Party (LBP) chief Balwant Singh Ramoowalia in Sangrur.
The former MP’s who figure in today’s battle are Jagmeet Singh Brar of the Congress from Ferozepur, Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD) from Patiala and SAD (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann from Sangrur. The other main contenders are SAD MLA Sher Singh from Ferozepur and former state Youth Congress chief Vijay Inder Singla from Sangrur.
BSP candidates also figure on all the four seats while the CPI figures in Bathinda.
While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi campaigned for the Congress, the Akalis mainly relied on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. A couple of Bollywood stars also put up road shows while Punjabi folk singers were used by political parties to attract crowds to rallies.
Posted By Staff Reporter
in Punjab News
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