Chandigarh/Patiala, 21 December 2024 — Voting is currently underway for the elections to five municipal corporations and 44 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Punjab. The polls began at 7 am on Saturday and will continue until 4 pm, with officials confirming that the votes will be counted once polling concludes.
The municipal corporations involved in these elections are Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, and Phagwara, where local political parties are vying for control. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which emerged victorious in three of the four Assembly bypolls in November, is viewing these elections as an important test of its popularity. The Congress party, which holds a majority in the municipal corporations of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Patiala, faces a tough battle to maintain its dominance. Meanwhile, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) are also fiercely competing in the elections, intensifying the contest.
As of 1 pm, the Mohali district reported a voter turnout of 50.67%, with individual areas showing different levels of participation. Kharar saw a turnout of 32.37%, while Nayagaon had 40.78%. Banur recorded a higher turnout of 53.67%, and Gharuan Nagar Panchayat had the highest turnout at 61.94%.
In Patiala, tensions erupted as workers from SAD, AAP, and BJP clashed near Shere Punjab market, prompting a police lathi charge. Two people sustained minor injuries in the altercation.
In Ludhiana, some voters faced difficulties when their names were missing from the voter lists at polling stations, but election officials are working to address the issue.
With strict security measures in place and high political stakes for all parties, the results of today’s elections are expected to have a significant impact on the political future of Punjab.
