Polling for Punjab’s zila parishad and block samiti elections concluded on a tense note, with allegations of violence and intimidation overshadowing the democratic exercise and voter turnout remaining subdued at 48 per cent across the state.
What was expected to be a routine grassroots election instead turned into a political flashpoint, as Opposition parties accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of subverting the electoral process through alleged intimidation and administrative interference.
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The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) mounted the strongest criticism, alleging that AAP had “stolen” the elections in collusion with the State Election Commission (SEC) and the Punjab Police. Senior Akali leaders Daljit Singh Cheema and Arshdeep Singh Kler claimed that polling booths were forcibly taken over and coordinated attacks were carried out on Opposition workers in multiple districts.
Calling the developments a serious threat to democratic norms, the Akali Dal leaders demanded a judicial probe into the functioning of the State Election Commission, even as the allegations added to the political heat surrounding the local body polls.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
