Vote counting for the Punjab civic body elections began on Friday amid tight security. Polling for 75 Municipal Councils and 20 Nagar Panchayats was held on May 26, with 7,555 candidates contesting the elections across the state.
Counting of votes for the Punjab civic body elections began across multiple counting centres in the state on Friday amid elaborate security arrangements and tight police deployment to ensure the process remains peaceful and smooth. Polling for 75 Municipal Councils and 20 Nagar Panchayats across Punjab was held on May 26.
A total of 7,555 candidates are contesting the elections for various Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats in the state. According to election officials, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded 1,801 candidates, while the Congress has fielded 1,550 candidates. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 1,316 candidates in the fray, and the Shiromani Akali Dal has fielded 1,251 candidates for the civic body polls.
Elaborate Security for Peaceful Counting
Officials arrived at the counting centres early in the morning and initiated the counting process. Heavy police deployment has also been made at the centres to ensure peaceful and smooth counting. Speaking to ANI, Ajnala SDM Charumita said that counting in Ramdas started at 8:30 am and was being conducted across 11 booths. She said all necessary security arrangements had been put in place and that only authorised personnel and polling staff were permitted entry into the counting centres. "Counting is underway across 11 booths in Ramdas, and we were able to begin the counting process at 08:30 AM. The counting has now started. There are 44 candidates from four parties across these 11 booths. The security arrangements are completely fine; only those who have been issued ID cards or our own staff are allowed entry. A single round of counting will be completed in about an hour to an hour and a half," SDM Charumita said.
Meanwhile, DSP Ajnala Inderjeet Singh said a strong room had been established at Government College, Ajnala, where the ballot boxes and election-related materials were secured before the commencement of counting. He said adequate police personnel had been deployed at the counting centre and senior officers were overseeing the law-and-order arrangements. "The civic body elections were held on 26th May. A strong room was designated at Government College, Ajnala, here. The counting of votes is being done here. All over supervision is being done by SP Headquarters. Four SHO-level officers have been deployed here for security. Police personnel are here on law and order duty. Counting will be done peacefully...Counting of votes from 11 wards is being done here. 33 security personnel are here on duty. You can see everything is peaceful here and it will continue to be the same," he told ANI. (ANI)
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