New Delhi: The counting of votes for the 117 seats in Punjab assembly elections 2017 began at 8am. The first election trends and results are expected within an hour.
The Election Commission (EC) has set up 54 counting centres in 27 locations in Punjab. The EC has issued strict guidelines on security arrangements for counting of votes and has prohibited mobile phones inside the counting halls. A three-tier security perimeter has been created at the counting centres.
Track Punjab election results here
Exit poll results on Thursday forecast a close fight in Punjab between the Congress, which is seeking to return to power after a hiatus of 10 years, and Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP combine could be in for a drubbing in the state.
Here are the latest updates on Punjab election results:
Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday submitted his resignation letter to governor VP Singh Badnore.
| Party | Won | Leading | Total |
| Bharatiya Janata Party | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Indian National Congress | 77 | 0 | 77 |
| Aam Aadmi Party | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| Shiromani Akali Dal | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| Lok Insaaf Party | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 117 | 0 | 117 |
7.28 pm: The Congress’s return to power in Punjab after a decade marks its second best performance in the assembly polls ever since the reorganisation of the state in 1966 when Haryana was carved out, PTI reported.
The party has won 77 seats in the 117-member state assembly after projecting Amarinder Singh as its chief ministerial nominee, only one short of the 78 needed for a two-thirds majority. The party’s best ever performance was in 1992, when it won 87 seats in the elections which were boycotted by the main Akali Dal.
The Congresses’s three other 60-plus-seat performances have been in 1972 (66), 1980 (63) and 2002 (62)—when Amarinder Singh became chief minister.
5.45 pm: Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh has registered the highest victory margin in the state. He won convincingly with a margin of 52,407 votes as he crushed his nearest rival AAP candidate Balbir Singh
4.59 pm: The Congress will form the government in Punjab as it has secured wins in 71 seats and is ahead on three others in the 117-seat assembly. The BJP-SAD combine has been trounced—registering only three wins. The AAP has won 20 seats.
4.10 pm: Akali Dal candidate Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal won from Batala seat as he defeated sitting MLA and Congress candidate Ashwani Sekhri by just 485 votes. AAP candidate and party’s Punjab in-charge Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi was at the third spot with 34,302 votes. Lodhinangal polled 42,517 votes while Sekhri got 42,032 votes. (PTI)
3.50 pm: Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal won from Jalalabad seat, defeating AAP candidate Bhagwant Mann by 18,500 votes. Sukhbir, who is the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, polled 75,271 votes while AAP leader Bhagwant Mann got 56,771 votes. Congress candidate Ravneet Singh Bittu got 31,539 votes. (PTI)
3.39 pm: Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal won from Bathinda (Urban) seat, deafeating AAP candidate Deepak Bansal by 18,480 votes. Manpreet, estranged nephew of CM Parkash Singh Badal, polled 63,942 votes while Bansal got 45,462 votes. (PTI)
3.38 pm: Congress candidate Navjot Singh Sidhu has won the Amritsar East seat, defeating nearest rival BJP candidate Rajesh Kumar Honey by 42,809 votes. The cricketer-turned-politician, who joined Congress this year, polled 60,477 votes while Honey got just 17,668 votes. (PTI)
3.40 pm: Congress candidate Navjot Singh Sidhu has won the Amritsar East seat, defeating nearest rival BJP candidate Rajesh Kumar Honey by 42,809 votes. The cricketer-turned-politician, who joined Congress this year, polled 60,477 votes while Honey got just 17,668 votes. AAP candidate Sarabjot Singh managed to get just 14,715 votes. Amritsar East was earlier held by Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, who won in 2012 assembly polls on a BJP ticket. (PTI)
3.35 pm: Congress candidate Manpreet Singh Badal won from Bathinda Urban seat, defeating AAP candidate Deepak Bansal by 18,480 votes. Manpreet, estranged nephew of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, polled 63,942 votes while Bansal got 45,462 votes. Akali Dal candidate Sarup Chand Singla was at the third spot with 37,177 votes. (PTI)
3.16 pm: Congress has won the majority in the 117-seat Punjab assembly, by securing victory in 59 seats and is currently leading in 19 constituencies.
3.13 pm: SAD candidate Bikram Singh Majithia won from the Majitha seat by defeating his nearest rival, Congress candidate Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lally, by 22,884 votes. Majithia, brother-in-law of Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal polled 65,803 votes while Lally got 42,919 votes. AAP candidate Himmat Singh Shergill managed to secure 10,252 votes.
3.10 pm: AAP candidate and noted Supreme Court lawyer H.S. Phoolka won from Dakha seat, defeating his nearest rival Akali Dal candidate Manpreer Singh Ayali by 4,169 votes. Phoolka polled 58,923 votes while Ayali secured 54,754 votes. Congress candidate Major Singh was at the third spot with 28,571 votes.
3.00 pm: Former Punjab CM and Congress candidate Rajinder Kaur Bhattal defeated by Akali Dal candidate and cabinet minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa by 26,815 votes. Dhindsa polled 65,550 votes while Bhattal got 38,735 votes. AAP candidate Jasvir Singh got 25,089 votes. (PTI)
2.35 pm: Congress candidate and former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh has retained his Jalandhar Cantt seat by defeating SAD candidate Sarabjit Singh Makkar by 29,124 votes. Pargat, an Olympian, polled 59,349 votes while SAD candidate got 30,225 votes. AAP candidate Harkrishan Singh Walia got 25,912 votes. (PTI)
2.21 pm: PM Narendra Modi congratulates Congress leader Amarinder Singh for the party’s victory in Punjab elections.
2.07 pm: Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal has defeated Congress’s Captain Amarinder Singh by 22,770 votes for the Lambi seat. Badal polled 66,375 votes while Singh secured 43,605 votes. AAP candidate Jarnail Singh was at the third spot, securing 21,254 votes.
1.48 pm: Congress on course to form the next government in Punjab, winning 16 seats so far and leading in 60 others in the 117-members state assembly.
1.29 pm: “We accept people’s mandate. All volunteers worked hard. We accept people’s mandate. All volunteers worked hard. Our struggle will continue,” AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on the Punjab election results.
1.18 pm: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal says he will resign on Sunday, even as he congratulated Amarinder Singh for Congress’s victory in Punjab elections. “SAD will discuss reasons for defeat in the Punjab assembly elections,” he added.
12.32 pm: Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh thanked people of the state for their overwhelming support. “Arvind Kejriwal is like a summer storm which came and has gone,” said Singh. “We hope Union Government will recognise demands of Punjab and assist us.” Thanking Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, Singh said: “The Congress legislature party will meet tomorrow.”
12.19 pm: Navjot Singh Sindhu on Congress’s performance in Punjab: “Punjab results a defeat of Akali Dal’s arrogance... This is the revival of Congress. It will take strength from this beginning in Punjab and spread.”
12.10pm: Congress candidate Kanwarpal Singh wins Anandpur Sahib seat by defeating his nearest BJP rival Parminder Sharma with a margin of 23,881 votes. The seat was earlier held by cabinet minister Madan Mohan Mittal of BJP.
11.37 am: Latest updates show the Congress is leading on 73 seats and has won from one constituency. The BJP-SAD combine is trailing with 19 seats; AAP is ahead on 22 seats.
11.30am: Congress surging ahead in 72 seats in Punjab, followed by the SAD-BJP in 20 seats and AAP in 23 seats, as per election commission data.
In terms of the party vote share registered so far, Congress remains in the lead at 38.2%, while the SAD has a vote share of 24.7% compared to the AAP at 27.0%.
11.18 am: Congress surging ahead in 69 seats in Punjab, followed by the SAD-BJP in 19 seats and AAP in 24 seats, as per election commission data. Congress’s Gurjit Singh Aujla leading by 21,881 votes in Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency.
10.35 am: Congress’s Navjot Singh Sidhu is leading from Amritsar (East) with 12,300 votes ahead of BJP’s Rajesh Kumar Honey (3,370 votes).
10.25 am: Congress surging ahead in 63 seats in Punjab, followed by the SAD-BJP in 28 seats and AAP in 22 seats, as per election commission data.
In terms of the party vote share registered so far, Congress remains in the lead at 37.5%, while the SAD has a vote share of 24.9% compared to the AAP at 24.0%.
10.12 am: Congress surging ahead in 50 seats in Punjab, followed by the SAD-BJP in 28 seats and AAP in 22 seats, as per election commission data.
9.45am: Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal leading over nearest rival Ravneet Singh Bittu of Congress by a margin of 2144 votes from Jalalabad.
9.30 am: Congress is leading on 13 seats in the 117-member Punjab assembly, followed by ruling SAD and AAP on 4 seats each, as per early trends. Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal is leading from his pocket borough Lambi assembly constituency. Badal is leading over his nearest Congress rival Captain Amarinder Singh as per early trends available.
Amarinder Singh, who is also fighting from his traditional stronghold Patiala, was leading in that seat. Congress is also ahead in Amritsar Central, Tarn Taran, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar West (Reserve), Chabbewal (Reserve), Anandpur Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Dharamkot, Baluana (Reserve), Gidderbaha, Faridkot, Rajpura and Patiala seats while Shiromani Akali Dal was ahead in Lambi, Bhagapurana, Moga and Majitha seats, as per early trends. BJP is ahead in Abohar segment.
AAP was ahead in Bathinda Urban, Mansa, Bhadaur (Reserve) and Mehal Kalan (Reserve) seats. From Gidderbaha, All-India Youth Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring was leading. From Majitha seat, SAD’s Bikram Singh Majithia was leading. Congress’ Manpreet Badal was trailing AAP candidate Deepak Bansal from Bathinda Urban as per initial trends
9.14 am: Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal is ahead of Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh by a margin of 1,245 votes in Lambi seat. In Bhadaur (reserve) assembly segment, the AAP’s Pirmal Singh Tohra has taken an early lead. All-India Youth Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring is off to a good start in Gidderbaha. Punjab cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia is ahead in Majitha seat by a margin of 1,126 votes over his nearest Congress rival. In Hargobindpur seat, Balwinder Singh Laddi of Congress has taken the lead, while AAP’s Kulwant Singh is ahead in Mehal Kalan seat.
9.00 am: Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal is leading in Lambi seat, according to early trends. The 89-year-old is locked in a triangular contest with Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh and journalist-turned-politician Jarnail Singh of the AAP.
8.57 am: The SAD-BJP alliance is now ahead on one seat, Congress is ahead on eight and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) one.
8.41 am:Early trends emerging from Punjab show BJP-SAD leading on one seat and Congress ahead on as many.
8.26 am: Counting of votes begins for all 117 assembly seats begins in Punjab. Fifty-four counting centres have been established at 27 locations. More than 14,000 officials have been deployed.
8.07 am: Election Commission starts counting of votes in 54 centres at 27 locations in Punjab.
7.51 am: Congress leader and former chief minister Amarinder Singh turns 75 today. The party coming back to power in Punjab after 10 years should serve as the perfect gift for him.
7.49am: Counting in Punjab election results to begin at 8am. Votes will be counted at 54 centres in 27 locations set up for election to 117-member assembly.
