Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, One person died and several others were injured today in poll-related clashes in Palwal, Rohtak, Bhiwani and other districts of Haryana during the first phase of polling for the panchayat elections.
While supporters of candidates opened fire in Rohtak and Hodal (Palwal), electronic voting machines (EVMs) were vandalised in Bhiwani and candidates were booked for allegedly trading liquor for votes in Jind. Minor skirmishes were reported from outside polling booths in an election where around 84 per cent polling was reported from the state. Technical snags in EVMs held up polling at several places and repoll has been ordered for one booth in Jhajjar on January 12. Elections were held for 416 wards of the zila parishad, 1,221 wards of panchayat samitis, 2,583 posts of sarpanches and 26,248 wards of panches.
While the results of the zila parishad and panchayat samitis will be declared on January 28, counting of votes for the posts of sarpanch and panches was held immediately after polling ended.
Tension escalated in Ratipur village of Palwal soon after polling began with supporters of two candidates coming to blows outside a booth following allegations of “impersonation”. This was followed by stone-pelting in which one of the supporters was critically injured and succumbed to injuries at a hospital later. A few others were injured.
In Bhiwani’s Karimod and Morwala villages, supporters of candidates allegedly damaged EVMs following a disagreement. Polling was disrupted for an hour in Ratipur village of Palwal after miscreants reportedly opened fire near a booth, while a clash disrupted polling at Behrola of Hodal block in the district.
Firing by supporters was also reported from Rohtak’s Bhalauth and Shimli. Hisar, too, reported a clash where more forces were rushed in to control the situation.
Residents of Rohda village in Jind blocked the Safidon-Assandh road alleging bias in favour of a candidate. The police booked two ZP candidates and the husband of a sarpanch candidate for distributing liquor on the day of polling to “buy” votes.
