The elections for the 22 zila parishads and 150 panchayat samitis in Punjab concluded on Wednesday even as the Opposition parties levelled allegations that elections were rigged on the behest of the ruling Congress party.
State Election Commission spokesperson said that the proceedings for holding elections on some booths in Amritsar, Muktsar and Moga are under consideration. The counting for the elections that were held today will take place on September 22.
Soon after the voting was over the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) announced that the party would approach Punjab and Haryana high court, alleging that the right to vote and contest in the polls was virtually denied in the Zila Parishad and Samiti polls, which were rigged by the ruling party.
Former Akali Minster Bikram Sigh Majithia and party's senior vice president Daljeet Singh Cheema alleged that at least 62 polling booths were captured besides people supported by the Congress resorted to bogus voting, large scale violence and threatening the presiding officers with their muscle power.
“These election were not conducted free and fair manner as the state election commission had little control of the state machinery and police apparatus, which let itself to be abused under the Congress government,” alleged the Akali leaders.
The Aam Aadmi Party also alleged that the Congress workers were involved in booth capturing. “Many Congress workers were caught attempting to cast bogus voting but instead of taking action against them, they were let off,” alleged Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Harpal Cheema.