Punjab polling: Youth killed in clashes, turnout 77 pc
Barring stray incidents, polling in rest of the segments peaceful
One person died and about a dozen others were left injured in poll related violence in different places in Punjab at the end of polling on Monday.
A high voter turnout of about 77 per cent marked the end of elections in this border state. Barring these clashes, elections in the rest of the segments were largely peaceful. The polling was not disrupted anywhere in the state, Chief Election Officer Punjab Kusumjit Sidhu said, while adding that no repolling has been ordered so far.
Voting was held for 117 Assembly seats in Punjab amid high security. Police had to open fire in air at a place in Ferozpur rural segment to disburse clashing workers of Congress and SAD.
Violence
In Piyareana village, 12-km short of Ferozpur, a 17-year-old youth identified as Nishan Singh succumbed to injuries after he was hit during the clash.
In Ajnala, the police booked SAD MLA Amarpal Singh Boony for beating up a journalist over an altercation. Elsewhere in Nabha, two persons were held for roughing up a woman reporter. In Garshankar, as many as 80 voters exercised their Right to Reject by not voting for any candidate and instead filling the stipulated Form 49 (O).
A woman voter who suffered from a heart attack died inside a polling station in Mansa. In the last elections in 2007, the voting was 75.74 percent.
Notice to media
The Election Commission (EC) on Monday also issued notices to six national and local TV channels for alleged violation of the election code of conduct.
Kusumjit Sidhu said TV channels including Aaj Tak, Star News, Zee News, PTC, Times Now and NDTV and three news papers including ‘Ajit, Dainik Jagran’ and ‘Jag Bani’, have been issued notice for alleged violating code of conduct on poll day.
She said that on a complaint, the Media Monitoring Committee monitored the content of PTC coverage and found that it was interviewing more SAD-BJP leaders than opposition leaders and a final decision would be taken by ECI.
The Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday had lodged a complain with the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, which issued these notices to TV channels.
Foulplay
At least 11 electronic voting machines (EVMs) were sealed by the EC after certain parties including the BSP apprehended that the seals had been tampered with.
The VIP constituencies of Lambi and Gidderbaha, from where CM Parkash Singh Badal and his estranged nephew Manpreet Badal are contesting, registered over high voter percentage.
In Ludhiana, three persons were injured in clashes involving Peoples Party of Punjab (PPP) and SAD workers. Clashes left workers injured in Amritsar, Zira and Abohar, Bathinda and Taran Taran.
