PUNJAB NEWS- Panchayat election concludes on peaceful note with 85% polling

Chandigarh, July 3, 2013: The elections conducted for 13080 Gram Panchayats and for 81412 wards to elect the panches on Wednesday were ‘by and large’ peaceful barring a few stray incidents in some pockets of the State. As per the latest reports overall percentage of votes is about 85%. The polling in 12 wards and 3 gram panchayats was cancelled due to technical reason and the State Election Commission has decided to re conduct polling in these constituencies.

Disclosing this here today, SS Brar, State Election Commissioner said “There was no report of any major untoward incident from any polling booths; Fortunately, there was no incident of any major hurt or injury by firing or even use of sharp weapons.”  He said that it is for the first time in the history of the state that the gram panchayat election was conducted on the basis of wardwandi. He said people in each ward exercised their adult franchise to choose Panch whereas the election of Sarpanhes was through direct voting. He said that voting was polled at 18254 pooling booths of 13172 pooling stations.52000 police personnel were deputed to ensure the peaceful conduction of election in the state.

Brar further said that the SEC has decided to re conduct pools at; Village Ghumanpura of district Amritsar(ward 1 &2), Village Suchander (ward 7), Village Mirzapur of district Amritsar, Block sujanpur(ward 2), Village Jalalpur of district Patiala, Block Rajpura(ward 5),Village Bithoi Kalan(Sarpanch), Village Bithoi Kurad(ward 4,panch),Village Khang(Sarpanch),Village Kauli(panch ward 1),Village Ghandon Kalan of district Roopnagar(ward 3),Village Sohol of district Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (ward 4 & 6), Village Riyond Kalan of district Mansa, Block Bhudlada(ward 3), Village Sandhwan of district Gurdaspur, Block Sri Hargobindpur(ward 5),Village Kisan Singh wala of district Ferozpur (Booth 2),Village Shahwala of Cluster-6 Zira(whole Panchayat), Village Sarhali Khurad of district Tarn Taran, Block Nushiara Khurad(whole Panchayat),Village Fatehpur of district Fathegarh Sahib.He said at these station polling has been cancelled for technical reasons and the  date for re pooling would be announced at later stage.