Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, February 14
Violence marred the high-stake civic body polls to Punjab’s eight municipal corporations and 109 municipal councils and nagar panchayats on Sunday that saw a high voter turnout of 71 per cent. Mansa reported the highest polling percentage at 82.99 per cent, followed by Bathinda at 79 per cent and Sangrur 77.39 per cent.
Highest
Mansa 83%
Lowest
Mohali 60%
In Patti (Amritsar), an AAP worker received a bullet injury while in Sultanpur Lodhi, unidentified persons opened fire to scare away the voters. Nine persons were injured in a clash between Congress and SAD supporters in Ropar.
There were skirmishes and stone-pelting incidents over allegations of booth-capturing in Muktsar, Malout, Samana, Patran, Rajpura, Moga, Fatehgarh Churian, Mukerian, Dinangar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Abohar, Jalalabad, Dhuri and Bhikhiwind.
The outcome of the civic polls, held ahead of the crucial 2022 Assembly elections, will reflect the voter mood in urban and semi-urban areas. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Sunil Jakhar alleged SAD workers attacked Congress workers in Muktsar. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Dr DS Cheema accused the Congress of blatantly misusing government machinery to “capture” booths and unleashing violence on the Opposition to intimidate voters.
“No concrete steps were taken to ensure free and fair elections. Akali supporters were attacked with sharp weapons at several places,” he claimed. The counting will be held on February 17.
