Date:25/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/25/stories/2007022506851000.htm

National

Polling peaceful in Valtoha

Valtoha (Punjab): Polling for the Valtoha Assembly constituency ended peacefully on Saturday with nearly 72 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise, officials said.

Polling in the constituency in Tarn Taran district was postponed following the death of CPI nominee Kulwinder Singh in an accident on January 29.

The main contest is between the Shiromani Akali Dal Badal (SAD) candidate, Virsa Singh Valtoha, and the sitting Congress MLA, Gurchet Singh Bhullar.

The CPI has fielded Kulwinder Singh's widow, Kiranjit Kaur.

Mr. Virsa Singh is contesting elections for the first time and is believed to be a confidant of the former Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal. There are around 1.18 lakh voters in Valtoha, including 57,537 women. — PTI