Panjab recorded over 48% turnout from 13.6M voters for Zila Parishad (District Council, ZP) and Panchayat Samiti (Block Council, PS) elections on 14 Dec. The elections cover 347 zones of 22 ZPs and 2,838 zones of 153 PSs across the state. More than 9K candidates from different political parties were in the fray. Over 44K police personnel were deployed and school teachers were deputed to conduct the polls through ballot paper. The polls were marred by incidents of stone-pelting, scuffles, booth capturing, prompting the State Election Commission (SEC) to order repolls at sixteen polling booths. The SEC announced repolls at Chahiyan in Gurdaspur district, Babania and Madhir in Muktsar district, and Chananwal in Barnala district after reports of presiding officers allegedly absconding with ballot papers. The repoll is scheduled for 16 Dec; the results will be announced on 17 Dec. Clashes were reported in Tarn Taran’s Kazi Kot village, where workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) pelted stones at each other. Similar incidents occurred in Ferozepur’s Betu Kadim village. Polling agents of Indian National Congress (INC), SAD, and Bharatiya Janata Party lodged complaints with the Gidderbaha police, accusing AAP leader Sandeep Singh Dhillon alias Sunny Dhillon and others of booth capturing. Polling was also cancelled in Khurmanian and Khasa villages of Amritsar due to a printing error on ballot papers. INC leaders raised concerns over administrative lapses and alleged intimidation. INC Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa claimed that pressure, manipulation, and misuse of administration had discouraged voter participation. SAD leaders Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema and Arshdeep Singh Kler echoed these allegations, claiming that AAP colluded with the SEC and Panjab Police to 'steal' the elections. On 9 Dec, the SEC had ordered the transfer of the Nabha Block Development and Panchayat Officer Baljit Kaur after receiving complaints of alleged favoritism. On 10 Dec, just hours ahead of the Punjab and Haryana High Court hearing in the viral audio-clip controversy, Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Varun Sharma had been asked to proceed on leave. Due to dense fog, a teacher couple Jaskaran Singh Bhullar and Kamaljit Kaur died in an accident while travelling for election duty in Moga (earlier coverage).
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