Date:08/05/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/05/08/stories/2009050860600700.htm

National

Medium to heavy turnout in Punjab

Special Correspondent

CHANDIGARH: At least 65 per cent of the 52.7 lakh voters turned out to exercise their right to franchise for four of the 13 Lok Sabha seats from Punjab on Thursday. Except for a few stray incidents, where the police have registered cases and arrested 11 persons, polling was by and large peaceful and smooth.

By the end of the day, the fate of 79 candidates was sealed in the electronic voting machines in the Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda and Ferozepur constituencies. Prominent among them were Preneet Kaur and Raninder Singh, the wife and son of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. They are in the fray on Congress tickets for the Patiala and Bathinda seats, respectively. AICC member and former Punjab Youth Congress chief Jagmeet Singh Brar and Vijay Inder Singla were in the race from Ferozepur and Sangrur respectively.

In Bathinda, which recorded at least 73 per cent voter turnout, the daughter-in-law of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is the candidate on an Akali ticket. Former Union Minister and Akali Dal’s secretary-general S. S. Dhindsa is in the field from Sangrur, which reported 68 per cent polling. Here another former Union Minister, Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, and pro-hardline Sikh leader, Simranjit Singh Mann, are in the fray.

According to the State police, five cases were registered during the day leading to the arrest of eleven persons.