Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu with his family members and Congress candidate from Ward 10 Amarjeet Singh Jeeti Sidhu after casting their vote at St Soldier School in Phase 7. (Express Photo by Jasbir Malhi) Mohali civic body elections, which included polling for Mohali Municipal Corporation (MMC) and seven Municipal Councils (MCs), passed off peacefully on Sunday, with 60.08 per cent overall voters turnout.
Mohali city, however, lagged in voting percentage— as the city recorded 55.5 per cent votes, 5 per cent than the MMC elections held in February 2015.
The district administration said that the highest voting percentage was recorded in Banur (77.91 per cent), where the elections were held for the MC, while the lowest voting percentage was recorded in Zirakpur, with 55 per cent voting. Meanwhile, Derabassi recorded 65.69 per cent turnout, Kharar recorded 58.14 per cent, Kurali 69.24 per cent, Lalru 75.76 per cent, Nayagaon 65.9 per cent and Mohali 56 per cent.
The overall voting percentage in the district was down by around 11.7 per cent as compared to the voting percentage in the Assembly elections held in 2017. In the Assembly elections, the district had recorded 71.8 per cent voting in its three constituencies.
The district administration said that a total of 2,87, 479 votes were cast.
The Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Girish Dayalan thanked the people of the district for the peaceful elections and said that the voting percentage was good. He also lauded the poll staff for conducting the elections peacefully.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Satinder Singh, who was on the field during the polling, said that except arguments, the elections went off peacefully. He added that around 2,300 police personnel were deputed for security and the police responded to the calls and attended the spots from where trouble was reported.
Azad Group-AAP alliance leader and former mayor Kulwant Singh said that except one or two instances, the elections were peaceful. He said that they were satisfied with the election process.
Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu also said that the elections were conducted peacefully and thanked the poll staff. “Congress tried its best to stop the voters from voting for the BJP candidates.
The Congress and SAD tried to threaten the voters, but our candidates stood their ground,” BJP’s Sukhwinder Goldy told The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, the SAD alleged misuse of official machinery by Congress. The party alleged that supplementary voters sheets were used on the day of polling. “It was sheer misuse of official machinery, the ruling party violated the democratic process,” former Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said.