Punjab: Vote count for zila parishad, panchayat samiti elections underway

Chandigarh, Dec 17 (PTI) Count of votes for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab was underway on Wednesday amid tight security, said officials.

The ballot paper counting started at 8 am at 154 centres set up across the state.

Polls were held to elect members of 347 zones of 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones of 153 panchayat samitis on December 14.

A voter turnout of 48 per cent was recorded in the daylong polling, with over 9,000 candidates in the fray.

Counting of ballot papers started at 8 am at 154 centres set up across the state.

In Patiala, Akali Dal workers alleged that they were denied entry to a counting centre on the Patiala-Nabha road.

Shiromani Akali Dal leader Jaspal Singh claimed that Rahul Saini, son of Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, was inside the counting centre, while opposition representatives were denied entry.

The opposition leaders demanded immediate intervention by election authorities to ensure transparent and fair counting, saying that continued interference would undermine public faith in the democratic process.

At the University College, Ghanaur, during the counting for the Shambhu block, former MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur alleged that sitting MLA Gurlal Singh Ghanaur entered the counting centre without authorisation.

Jalalpur claimed that despite possessing valid passes, he and his counting agents were stopped outside, while the MLA was allowed in.

He alleged that police officers present at the centre did not intervene despite repeated complaints.

Candidates of all major political parties -- the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, and the BJP -- contested the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls on party symbols.

On December 14, opposition parties Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal accused the ruling AAP of indulging in "blatant electoral malpractices" during the polling.

Earlier, they targeted the Bhagwant Mann government, accusing it of using the government machinery to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers and getting those rejected. PTI CHS VN VN