Chief Electoral Officer, S Karuna Raju
Chandigarh, May 28, 2018: The voting process was completed in a peaceful manner in Shahkot assembly bypoll on Monday in which voters turned up in a big way to exercise their their right to franchise in hot and humid weather conditions.
At a press conference here on Monday, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab Dr. S. Karuna Raju said that 76.60 % voting was recorded till 7 pm. The vote percentage was 78.60% in the previous assembly elections.
He said that 13 VVPAT machines, 1 Control Unit and 2 Ballot Units were immediately changed due to technical glitch.
Dr. Raju Further said that the Congress had lodged a complaint against Brij Bhupinder Singh Lalli that he entered in a polling booth Number 90-91 in Malsian area with a pistol. The Election Commission lodged FIR against the accused who was arrested immediately.
Later, Lalli, a former Congress leader who had joined the Akali Dal a few days before the bypoll, was released on bail after spending five hours in the police custody.
Another person was also arrested from Umarwala Billa, added the CEO who thanked the people of Shahkot constituency for turning up in large number to cast votes. The voting process went on uninterrupted in the entire constituency, he said.
The CEO said that about 2500 polling personnel and 1044 personnel of Punjab Police and BSF had been deputed for peaceful election.
The result will be announced on May 31. The counting of votes will commence at 8 am in Jalandhar.