Panchayat polls: 156 booths hyper-sensitive, 324 sensitive in Ludhiana district

LUDHIANA: Deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer Pradeep Kumar Aggarwal has informed that in view of the Gram Panchayat elections scheduled on December 30, 156 polling booths have been declared ‘hyper-sensitive’, and 324 ‘sensitive’, out of the total 941 polling booths in Ludhiana district. Aggarwal stated that 192 panchayats have already been chosen unanimously, whereas 226 sarpanches and 3,059 panches in the district have been chosen unopposed. A total of 1,806 candidates for the post of sarpanches, and 6,919 candidates for panches are in the fray in Ludhiana district.

The DC also informed that in Dehlon block, 20 polling booths have been declared hyper-sensitive, and 25 sensitive; Doraha (14 hyper-sensitive, 25 sensitive); Jagraon (5 hyper-sensitive, 20 sensitive); Khanna (7 hyper-sensitive, 28 sensitive); Ludhiana-1 (35 hyper-sensitive, 84 sensitive); Ludhiana-2 (56 hyper-sensitive, 73 sensitive); Machhiwara (10 sensitive); Malaud (2 sensitive); Pakhowal (2 hyper-sensitive, 13 sensitive): Raikot (6 hyper-sensitive, 7 sensitive); Samrala (11 sensitive); Sidhwan Bet (4 hyper-sensitive, 10 sensitive); Sudhar (7 hyper-sensitive, 16 sensitive).

The voting for panchayat polls will be held from 8am to 4pm on December 30, and after counting, results will be declared the same evening. The DC also said there were a total of 941 posts of sarpanches, out of which 181 are reserved for scheduled castes, 181 for scheduled caste (women), 289 for women, and 290 for general category candidates. Similarly, out of 6,391 posts of panches, 1,506 are reserved for scheduled castes, 1,027 for scheduled caste (women), 54 for backward classes, 1,699 for women, and 2,105 for general category candidates. Additional deputy commissioner (Development)-cum-additional district election officer Dr Shena Aggarwal was also present on the occasion.