New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) As Punjab voted in crucial municipal elections on Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal appealed to people across the state to exercise their franchise, calling voting a powerful democratic tool that determines the future and welfare of families.

Polling began amid tight security arrangements across Punjab for the election of councillors in 1,896 wards spread across eight municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats. The elections are being seen as politically significant ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled in early 2027.

In a post on X, Kejriwal said, “I request all voters to definitely exercise their right to vote in the ongoing municipal elections in Punjab. Your vote is your strength in democracy… It resolves your small and big problems and determines the well-being of your entire family.”

A total of 35.45 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes till 5 P.M. Electors were seen arriving at polling stations early in the morning, even before the voting process officially commenced at 8 A.M.

“There has been no report of any delay in starting the poll process,” a state electoral officer told IANS.

To ensure peaceful and fair polling, the State Election Commission deployed around 32,000 police personnel along with nearly 35,000 election staff across the state.

The eight municipal corporations where polling is underway are Abohar, Mohali, Moga, Bathinda, Barnala, Batala, Kapurthala and Pathankot.

According to official figures, 7,555 candidates are in the fray. Of these, 1,801 candidates belong to the AAP, 1,550 to the Congress, 1,316 to the BJP, 1,251 to the Shiromani Akali Dal, and 96 to the Bahujan Samaj Party. Apart from them, 1,528 Independent candidates and 13 others are also contesting.

The electorate includes 18,33,712 male voters, 17,11,635 women voters and 220 voters registered under the “other” category.

Ahead of the elections, the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation challenging the Election Commission’s decision to conduct polling through ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry rejected the plea, observing that the shift from EVM-VVPAT to ballot papers could not be termed illegal merely because it was carried out through an administrative communication.

–IANS

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