Bypolls to four assembly seats: Nearly 7 lakh voters to seal fate of 45 candidates today

A total of 45 candidates are in fray for Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC), Gidderbaha and Barnala, which will witness a triangular contest between the Aam Aadmi party (AAP), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party.

Nearly seven lakh voters on Wednesday will pick their legislators for the four assembly constituencies of Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC), Gidderbaha and Barnala, where bypolls were necessitated after the MLAs representing these seats were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections held earlier this year.

The bypolls to Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC), Gidderbaha and Barnala constituencies of Punjab were necessitated after the MLAs representing these seats were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections held earlier this year. (HT File)

A total of 45 candidates are in fray in the four constituencies which will witness a triangular contest between the Aam Aadmi party (AAP), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has backed out of the fray after their president Sukhbir Singh Badal was declared a tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.

Apart from 12 candidates fielded by the three political parties, there are 33 independent candidates.

Punjab chief electoral officer Sibin C has said that all arrangements are in place as over 6,400 personnel of Punjab Police and 17 companies of the central armed police have been deputed in the four constituencies for peaceful conduct of the polls.

At least, 3,800 administrative staff from the state government have also been deputed on election duty. Polling will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, while the counting of votes will take place on November 23.

There are 1,93,376 voters and 241 polling stations in Dera Babak Nanak, 1,59,432 voters and 205 polling stations in Chabbewal (SC) constituency, 166,731 electors and 173 polling stations in Gidderbaha, and 1,77,426 voters and 212 polling stations in Barnala. In all four constituencies, 244 polling stations have been declared critical which are under the close surveillance of the security forces.

As per the instructions from the Election Commission of India, all polling stations will be monitored through CCTV cameras and to ensure real-time monitoring, 100% live webcasting will be provided for all polling stations.

According to Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sareen, the party and its cadres are fully prepared for tomorrow’s election and hope to get good response from the voters. The Congress party and the ruling AAP are hopeful of winning all four seats scheduled for the polling.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Malwinder Singh Kang said that his party is confident of winning all four seats. Congress MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said people of the state are fed up with AAP government and the bypolls will set the tone for their ouster.