Punjab: Sangrur LS bypolls data low voter turnout of 45.30 per cent

By PTI

CHANDIGARH: A low turnout of 45.30 per cent was recorded within the bypolls to Punjab’s Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency, state Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju mentioned.

Voting was held on Thursday from 8 am to six pm, and till late night, the provisional figures stood at 37.01 per cent. Polling officers had earlier mentioned that the numbers would possibly enhance as soon as the information was compiled.

“The poll percentage recorded in the Sangrur LS bypoll is 45.30 per cent,” he mentioned on Friday. The ballot remained peaceable and no untoward incident was reported from anyplace, he mentioned. The Sangrur Lok Sabha seat had recorded 72.44 per cent polling within the 2019 elections and 76.71 in 2014. Most of the 9 meeting segments of the constituency recorded poor turnout all through the day.

Earlier in a tweet, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had demanded that the Election Commission ought to lengthen the voting time until 7 pm. He mentioned many individuals have been working within the fields till late because of the paddy-sowing season.

Following this, the Election Commission requested Punjab’s chief secretary and the deputy commissioner of Sangrur to elucidate why they sought extension of the polling time in the direction of the closing hours.

It amounted to an “attempt of unduly interfering in the election process and influence certain class of voters by conveying them to expedite voting or wait for time extension,” the ballot physique mentioned. The fee condemns such behaviour by the officers throughout the election course of, it added.

The bypolls have been necessitated following the resignation of Bhagwant Mann from the Lok Sabha after he was elected as an MLA within the state meeting elections earlier this 12 months. Mann had gained the Sangrur seat within the 2014 and 2019 parliamentary elections.

There are 15,69,240 eligible voters — 8,30,056 males, 7,39,140 girls and 44 belonging to the third gender within the Sangrur parliamentary constituency. Sixteen candidates, together with three girls, have been within the fray.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is dealing with its first check of recognition after its spectacular efficiency within the meeting polls. The bypolls have been held at a time when AAP is dealing with opposition warmth over the law-and-order state of affairs within the state and the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala.

Mann had campaigned extensively and in addition took out a highway present with AAP nationwide convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, urging voters to make sure the victory of Gurmail Singh, the celebration’s Sangrur district in-charge.

The Congress, the BJP and SAD had hit out on the AAP authorities over “deteriorating” legislation and order within the state and in addition raised the difficulty of Moosewala’s killing. The opposition events additionally slammed the AAP authorities over “unfulfilled promises”.

The most important opposition Congress fielded former Dhuri MLA Dalvir Singh Goldy, whereas the BJP fielded former Barnala MLA Kewal Dhillon, who had joined the celebration on June 4.

Kamaldeep Kaur, sister of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh’s assassination case, was fielded by the SAD. Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann can be within the fray.