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Civic polls: Punjab declares holiday on May 26
This holiday will also apply to all Punjab government offices, boards, corporations and educational institutions situated in Chandigarh
Punjab government has declared a general holiday on May 26 across the state in view of the civic polls. The decision has been taken under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, to facilitate voters to cast their votes in the elections of municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats.
This holiday will also apply to all Punjab government offices, boards, corporations and educational institutions situated in Chandigarh.
Polling will be held for 104 municipal bodies, including eight municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 21 nagar panchayats using ballot papers. The votes will be counted on May 29.
The eight municipal corporations going to the polls are Mohali, Bathinda, Abohar, Barnala, Kapurthala, Moga, Batala and Pathankot.
SAD urges extended polling hours due to heatwave
The Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday appealed to the Punjab State Election Commission to change the polling hours for the civic body elections from 8 am-to-5 pm to 7 am-to-6 pm due to the prevailing heatwave.
In a statement, senior Akali leader Daljit Singh Cheema said Punjab was facing extreme hot weather conditions and the present timings were likely to discourage voter participation, particularly during the peak afternoon hours.
“An extended schedule will help ensure higher voter turnout and safer voting conditions for senior citizens and other vulnerable sections of society,” Cheema said.
The SAD leader also said the existing timings were unfair to daily wagers and farm labourers, who would be forced to choose between earning their livelihood and exercising their democratic right.
Bajwa alleges poll code violations in Dhariwal
Leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa accused the AAP government of violating the Model Code of Conduct in Dhariwal, Gurdaspur, by distributing ration kits after the campaign period ended and holding registration camps for the ₹1,000 monthly scheme for women, which has not been officially launched by the government.
