62% polling recorded in Mohali for Punjab rural polls
No major incident reported; counting of votes on September 22 at Dera Bassi and Khuni Majra.
With 173 candidates in the fray, polling to 10 zila parishad zones and 63 block samiti seats was held in Mohali on Wednesday amid tight security arrangements.
The district saw an overall turnout of 62.29%. The election process remained peaceful barring few minor incidents.
In the first two hours, 9% votes were polled, the figure that by 2pm reached 43%. The polling ended at 4pm at all the centres.
Four bouncers booked
Police in morning detained four bouncers from the Balongi polling booth for allegedly creating a ruckus. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate Usha Rani had hired bouncers Ashwani Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Randhir Singh and Jaggi from Chandigarh for the day.
They were called to provide security cover to the Akali candidate, but the commotion ensued after cops on election duty at Bad Majra polling station raised objection to their presence.
Police detained the bouncers and later booked them under Section 107 (preventive arrest) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Balongi station house officer (SHO) Manphool Singh said they were taken into custody for disturbing the election process. They were, however, later bailed out.
The situation remained calm and controlled at other polling stations as 2,100 police and home guard personnel were deployed across the district. There were reports of tension outside the polling booth in Dera Bassi after finding ‘tampered’ ballot papers, to which Mohali deputy commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra said, “It was just the impression of the verification stamp which was there on the back side of every ballot paper. The issue was resolved.”
105-year-old sadhu singh casts his vote
At booth number 76 in Kharar’s Kandala, 105-year-old Sadhu Singh tuned up to exercise his adult franchise right.
Kharar SDM Vinod Kumar said, “He was an inspiration for all.”
The counting of votes will take place on September 22 at Dera Bassi and Khuni Majra. The ballot boxes will reach the centres by tomorrow.
Mohali DC Sapra said adequate arrangements were in place for the counting day.