16102024-LT-01.qxd 10/16/2024 12:34 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune LIQUOR RETAIL SALE DIPS, GOES UP 8 TIMES IN WHOLESALE ROADIES, NOW IN ITS 20TH SEASON, STEPPED INTO UT THE KASAULI HILLS AWAIT PEARLS OF WISDOM Most of the candidates in panchayat elections were serving liquor among their voters. P3 There are no right or wrong answers, only thing that matters is how a contestant, says Rannvijay. P4 The 13th edition of the three-day Khushwant Singh Literature Festival takes off in Kasauli on Oct 18. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 33°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 13°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.50 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:26 AM » WEDNESDAY | 16 OCTOBER 2024 | LUDHIANA High tempers, chaos mark panchayat elections in dist Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 15 Tempers ran high and chaos prevailed at several polling stations as minor incidents of violence were reported during the voting to 4,064 wards of 784 village panchayats in the district on Tuesday. Following the unopposed election of 157 village panchayats, 213 sarpanches and 3,055 panches, the polling was held to elect 728 sarpanches and 3,336 panches across the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population. Almost 60 per cent of the total 12,37,341 voters, including 6,58,736 male, 5,78,584 female, and 21 third gender, exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 9,555 candidates, including 1,968 contestants for the posts of sarpanch and 7,587 nominees for the posts of panch at 1,408 polling booths across 13 blocks in the district. With Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond hailing from Ludhiana, the opposition parties and leaders cried foul over what they alleged as “misuse of official machinery” and “bogus voting”. However, the minister denied the charges as “false and baseless” and attributed them to “frustration of the losers”. Peaceful polling, says DEO District Election Officer-cumDeputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal claimed total peaceful polling. “No untoward incident was reported and it was all peaceful exercise,” Jorwal said at the end Women cast their vote for financial independence Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 15 Women from villages yearn for financial independence and want new panchayats to open up training centres in various fields to make them financially independent. They believe family and village as a whole cannot grow and move ahead if financial independence of women is ignored. Surinder Kaur, who was unanimously elected panch of the gram panchayat of Lalton Kalan village, said being a woman she understands what women wish for. “Financial independence is important if we want women to march ahead. A sense of self-confidence comes only after one is financially independent and she will work towards opening more avenues for the same,” she said. She said they had a sewing training centre and a computer 60 pc voters turn out to elect 728 sarpanches, 3,336 panches in 784 village panchayats of the polling. As democracy was lost in the elections, the enthusiasm of the voters notwithstanding, the high and mighty candidates — supported by both ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and opposition parties the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Independents — had their own way. However, the poll was not held on party symbols. While the AAP supported the TELLING NUMBERS CATEGORY TOTAL PANCHAYATS SARPANCHES PANCHES 941 941 6,391 ELECTED UNOPPOSED 157 213 3,055 WENT TO CANDIDATES POLLS 784 9,555 728 1,968 3,336 7,587 (SOURCE: DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION) candidates at all 4,064 wards, nominees supported by the Congress and the SAD were comparatively less in numbers. Several candidates, however, opted to contest as Independents, without the support of any political party. The polling began at 8 am and continued till 4 pm, the officials said. According to official figures, 58.9 per cent turnout was recorded till 4 pm, with over 100 polling booths still Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Candidates and their supporters exchange arguments outside a polling booth on Manakwal road in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN witnessing voting even after 6 pm. The final polling figures were yet to be compiled by the district election office till the reports last came in. The counting of votes began immediately after the end of polling and the results were expected by late tonight. With sporadic reports of bogus voting, rigging and minor violence going mostly unnoticed, the elections left a bad taste in the mouths of many. With affected candidates, mostly from the Opposition parties, crying foul, it was the candidates, majority from the ruling AAP suc, ceeding in their “mission”, who had the last laugh. But the story was not the same in all village panchayats. Several villages saw peaceful polling and maximum voter turnout. The polling was disrupted for some time at some booths following certain issues in the ballot papers with rivals trading allegations and counter allegations. Supporters gave a tough time to the police in several areas, where tension prevailed throughout the day as continued on page 2 An elderly woman being taken to a polling booth on a wheelchair to exercise her franchise in Ludhiana on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, October 15 Tempers flared high among candidates and their supporters outside a polling booth at a school on the Manakwal road during the panchayat poll in Ludhiana on Tuesday. Three candidates contesting for the post of sarpanch and their supporters for the Preet Vihar gram panchayat had literally faced off but a clash was averted with the intervention of residents and police personnel. Candidates levelled allegations against each other for wooing voters entering the polling booth. Allega- tions of casting bogus votes were also levelled during the heated arguments between the candidates but officials present there denied the accusations of bogus votes and favoritism. Amandeep Kaur, a candidate contesting for the post of sarpanch in Preet Vihar village, alleged that supporters of other two candidates, Pardeep Kaur and Surinder Kaur, had tried to cast bogus votes. Other two candidates and their supporters were allowed to enter the polling booth while she and her supporters were not allowed to enter it. She had suspicion that her opponents had cast bogus votes. Some administration officials had also connived with the suspects and gave undue favour to them. “We have raised the matter with officials and if required, we will also raise a formal complaint with the Election Commission. I have also informed the area MLA about the matter,” she said. Harry, son of candidate Pardeep Kaur, while levelling counter allegations against opponent candidate Amandeep Kaur said the latter and her supporters had been asking voters to cast vote in their favour and when they objected to the same, the suspects started heated arguments with them. “Even polling agents allegedly connived with them. Later, we warned polling agents to mend their ways. All allegations levelled by candidate Amandeep Kaur against us are false and politically motivated,” he said. It is learnt that candidates Pardeep Kaur and Amandeep Kaur had support of the rulling Aam Aadmi Party and both of them admitted that they had back-door support of the party. Pardeep Kaur’s son Harry confirmed that he was the president of the AAP’s youth wing in the Gill constituency. Civic body XEN nabbed for misappropriating ~3 crore Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 15 The Vigilance Bureau (VB), Ludhiana, registered a corruption case against Rajinder Singh, retired Superintending Engineer, Ranbir Singh, Executive Engineer (XEN), and Pankaj Garg, Deputy Controller Finance and Accounts (DCFA), posted in the Municipal Corporation (MC), Ludhiana, for misappropriation of funds amounting to Rs 3,16,58,421. In the case, the XEN was arrested and he would be produced in the court tomorrow. training centre as well. “We will add more batches in computer training institute and try to add only women batches also. Besides, I will also propose opening of parks in villages as we do not have a single park in our village. Men sit in sath, so women also need parks where they can unwind their day. Cultural programmes on festivals such as Teej and Dashera will also be planned,” she said. Manjit Kaur and Amarjit Kaur, after casting their votes, said villages have progressed a lot over the years but still many things need to be done for their uplift. “Young generation is moving abroad and those left behind are the elderly. Since women, especially the elderly, cannot move out of their vil- lage due to many reasons, some kind of self-help groups should be formed in the village which could help them in getting engaged according to their talent and also earn some money,” they said. Kulwant Kaur from Baddowal village said it was during the farmers’ protest at Delhi that she came to know about her capabilities in managing the field work, which she had not done earlier. “With my husband away, I used to do the entire household work and also manage the fields. My confidence grew and I started growing vegetables in a small patch of land and now, earning my income by selling vegetables. Some refresher courses should be organised so that women can work from home, according to their interest and capabilities. The new panchayat should definitely work towards the same,” she said. ALL SMILES: Women stand in a queue to cast their vote for the panchayat poll in Ludhiana on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Candidates face off outside polling booth Nikhil Bhardwaj They believe if it’s ignored, family, village can’t progress Stating this here today, an official spokesperson for the state VB said a case was registered against the suspects after a probe was started on a complaint lodged by Jaspinder Singh, electric pump driver, posted at the Zone C, MC, Ludhiana, in 2023. The complainant had alleged that Ranbir Singh, XEN, posted at the operation and maintenance branch, had received Rs 3,16,58,421 as advance payments from May 2021 to September 2022 from MC accounts for making payments to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSP- The suspect in custody of VB sleuths in Ludhiana on Tuesday. CL) for various tube well works but it was misappropriated by officers in connivance with each other. He said during the inquiry, the VB did not found any document related to any proposal or demand by the PSPCL c m y b to pay advances for tube well works in the city as the funds obtained by the XEN. He said as per the official procedure, a requisite proposal had to be made by the junior engineer (JE) or subdivisional officer (SDO) concerned and through a proper channel, it was to be put up before the XEN concerned but no such process was adopted by the suspects to usurp government funds for their personal gains. The probe had revealed that Ranbir Singh, XEN, had himself shown a fake demand by the PSPCL in a file and forwarded the same to Rajinder, Superintending Engineer (SE), for approval of senior MC officials. The SE did not verify the documents put up before him on file with regard to withdrawal of advance payments but forwarded the same for approval of the Joint Commissioner, Additional Commissioner and Commissioner of the MC. The XEN and SE, despite having knowledge of rules of their department, had misused their official positions and forwarded the case to higher officials for continued on page 2 Migrants want better facilities for community Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 15 Punjab has become their home now. Settled since years, several migrants have their families here and they even participate in the polling. From some places, migrants also contested for the panchayat elections. What they expect from the new panchayat is better facilities for their children, improvement of sanitary conditions along places where they had been staying. Raj Kumar and Sonia Devi, who were settled in Punjab for the past 20 years, today came to cast their vote for the gram panchayat of Daad village. “Since both of us are working these days, more aganwadis and schools should be opened in villages. Residents of urban areas leave their children while going to work in crèche but no such facility is available here. There is only one anganwadi in the village and for school also, children have to go to far-off places,” Sonia said. While Raj kumar wanted cleanliness in the village. He said diseases spread only when there was a lack of cleanliness. “Now the panchayat should pay special attention towards the cleanliness of the village,” he said. Staying for the past 35 years, Ram Sharan and his family have made Jodhan village their home. “Parks should be built in villages so that children can play and spend their evenings there. They are forced to play in streets which is unsafe,” he said. Another migrant from Bihar settled here for the past 20 years also want better facilities for their children. “We came to the state for better future of our kids. Our primary concern is more dispensaries, primary schools and anganwadis should be opened in villages. Recreational activities should also be arranged for the children on a regular basis,” he added. Migrant couple Raj Kumar and Sonia Devi from Daad village have big expectations from the new sarpanch. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN