02062024-ATR-01.qxd 6/2/2024 1:36 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR GANG WAR BEHIND MURDER OF LAKHOWAL VILLAGE YOUTH: COPS MALERKOTLA, STATE’S ‘YOUNGEST’ DISTRICT, SEES 66% TURNOUT CELEBRITIES SHOW INK MARK WITH PRIDE AS THEY CAST VOTES Hours after youth’s murder, members of the Bambiha-Rana Kandowalia gang have taken its responsibility. P2 Polling in the erstwhile princely state of Malerkotla, the only town of Punjab with Muslim majority, passed off peacefully.P3 “This was the first time I voted because I would mostly be in Mumbai during elections in the past,” Sonia Mann, actress.P4 » » » MAX 44°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 45°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7.31 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5:25 AM SUNDAY | 2 JUNE 2024 | AMRITSAR Aujla alleges fraudulent calls on his behalf, files plaintwithECagainstAAP ❝The AAP is trying to mislead people through Neha Saini PHOTOS: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune news Service (Clockwise from top): AAP candidate Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal shows a finger marked with indelible ink; SAD candidate Anil Joshi (centre) with family after casting vote; and Congress candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla with family members after exercising the right to franchise in Amritsar on Saturday. Voting remains peaceful in dist INDIA VOTES 2024 Amritsar, June 1 Though Amritsar witnessed low voter turnout during polling on the final day of the 18th Lok Sabha polls, the elections remained a peaceful affair on Saturday. Barring a boycott call by residents of Lakhowal village in Ajnala to protest against the killing of an AAP worker Deep Inder Singh last night, no incident of was reported in the constituency. Cops in the city as well as in the rural belt, including Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Police Commissioner (CP) Rakesh Kaushal, DIG, border range, and Satinder Singh, SSP , Amritsar (Rural), remained in the field. They visited various polling stations to oversee the security arrangements. The CP said the Police Department had made elaborate arrangements for con- ducting polls in a free, fair and peaceful manner. He said 12 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and SAP were deputed along with 2,386 Punjab Police personnel in order to meet any eventuality. “Striking reserves, patrolling parties and PCR teams were all in the field to deal with any misadventure,” the CP said. He said paramilitary forces along with cops were deputed at over 900 critical polling stations. DIG Rakesh Kaushal said, “We thank people for the smooth conduct of elections. Foolproof arrangements were in place during elections in the four police districts falling under the Amritsar border range that included Gurdaspur, Batala, Pathankot and Amritsar (Rural).” SSP Satinder Singh said the rural police had 13 companies of paramilitary forces, which were deployed at 700 critical polling stations in the rural belt, including two constituencies that fall under Khadoor Sabha Lok Sabha segment. — TNS Amritsar, June 1 Congress Lok Sabha candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla filed a complaint with the Election Commission alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was making fraudulent calls on his behalf and misleading voters. The issue caught his attention after several voters started receiving prerecorded messages on their mobile phones since Friday evening, a day before voting was slated to be held for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat. In the pre-recorded message, senior leaders of the Congress, including Rahul Gandhi and Gurjeet Singh Aujla, werer heard asking voters to vote for the AAP candidate as the Congress had not been able to put up a “strong opposition” in Punjab against the BJP Voters continued to . receive such messages till the morning of June 1. At a press conference held to address the issue, Aujla said, “The AAP is trying to mislead people through fake calls in the face of defeat in Punjab.” fake calls in the face of defeat in Punjab. ❞ Gurjeet Singh Aujla, CONGRESS LS CANDIDATE Taking strict action in this regard, Aujla filed a complaint with the Election Commission. In the complaint to the Election Commission, Aujla stated: “Misleading voice messages that falsely claim to be sent on my behalf are being circulated among voters. The content of the voice message is confusing and misleads voters. It falsely claims that Aujla is asking voters to vote for the AAP and the BJP He also requested the .” Election Commission to take action under Sections 120, 268, 416, 504 and 499 of the Indian Penal Code against people involved in circulation of voice messages on his behalf. “The Aam Aadmi Party is adopting cheap tactics. I want to ask Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann why he did not work for the benefit of voters and spreading such rumours. Now, his fear of defeat is palpable from such fake calls,” said Aujla. Cop held for assaulting official on election duty Amritsar, June 1 The Tarsikka police have arrested a cop for allegedly assaulting an officer on poll duty yesterday. He was identified as Harpreet Singh (27), a resident of Dhaulkalan village. He was booked on the complaint of Bhupinder Singh, sector officer, who was deputed in Khujala village on an election duty. The complainant told the police that he got a call that his duty was shifted to Gadli village. The complainant said he asked the cop to drop him at Gadli village on an official vehicle, but he got infuriated and misbehaved and assaulted him. The police registered a case against the cop and arrested him in this connection.— TNS State’s largest webcasting control room set up in city Tribune News Service Scorching sun fails to dampen first-time voters’ enthusiasm Better higher education facilities top youths’ expectations Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 1 A large number of first-time voters exercised their right to franchise during the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections in the city today. The first time voters’ strength in the district is 50,000. All of them seemed excited to be part of the democratic exercise for the first time. Even in the scorching sun, they were seen waiting in queues to cast their votes. Deepanika Gupta, a student of IIT, Guwahati, who came home, especially to cast her vote at a polling booth in Amritsar Central constituency, said she voted for a candidate, who would resolve issues of unemployment and provide quality higher education. “I am excited to cast my vote today as it felt special to First-time voters with a certificate of appreciation at a polling station in Naushehra village on Saturday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR be part of making an important decision regarding forming a government as a citizen of this country. I feel that we need a representative, who would seriously work to resolve issues faced by the youth,” she shared. Snehdeep Kaur, another first-time voter from Amritsar South segment, said her maiden voting experience was very good. “I voted on the issue of development,” she shared. Rahul Sharma a voter from Continued on page 2 Cong going strong in rural belt; AAP, BJP too in fight Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Elderly voters wait for their turn to cast vote at the super model polling booth in Amritsar. Amritsar, June 1 In Amritsar (Rural) segment, Congress candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla seems to be on strong position while AAP’s Kuldeep Dhaliwal is giving him a good fight. The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have their strong traditional groups in each village. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has succeeded to establish its base in villages. The BJP has strong base in the urban areas. During a visit to rural Assembly constituencies, it was observed that the SAD was losing its ground. Even in Majitha constituency the party may not perform like previous elections. Although the BJP candidate has emerged a strong candidate in Amritsar (Urban) constituencies, his presence is Continued on page 2 Amid blistering heat, residents vote at 2,134 polling stations Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 1 Voters exercised their right to franchise at 2,134 polling booths for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat here on Saturday amid blistering heat. The polling commenced at 7 am and lasted till 6 pm. At some polling booths, residents complained of lack of facilities such as no drinking water and toilets while several others had state of the art facilities. Besides, ceiling fans were also missing from some polling stations. An 83-year-old NS Gabarhia was irked at the election authorities for not making adequate arrangements at the polling booth set up inside the Canal Office. He alleged that neither ceiling fan nor potable water were available at the Canal Office for voters in the scorching heat. The voting process stopped at polling stations in Ajnala (Rural) constituency and Amritsar Central Assembly segment as EVMs developed technical snag. Deputy Commissionercum-District Election Officer Ghanshyam Thori said barring few lapses, the district administration made all out efforts to encourage people to cast their votes. Saplings were distributed among voters at green booths in each Assembly constituency. The Punjab Pollution Control Board distributed cloth bags among voters to encourage them to stop use of plastic bags. Literature was also distributed among residents to make them aware about the harms of single-use plastic items. Thori said wheelchairs were arranged for the people with disabilities (PwDs) at polling booths so that they did not face any problem in casting their votes. Trained volunteers were also present to help PwDs use wheelchairs at polling stations. Voters get warm welcome with dhol beats, Hoping for better facilities visually garlands, Amritsari food at polling booths impaired exercise right to franchise Pink, green and super model stations make voting entertaining exercise Tribune news Service Amritsar, June 1 The district administration made special efforts at polling booths to ensure maximum voter participation in the elections. Specially curated pink, green and super model polling booths made voting an entertaining exercise Continued on page 2 Voters enjoy golgappas; and (right) a nail art stall at a super model polling booth in Amritsar North. c m y b Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 1 Visually impaired electorate voted at the Institute of Blind here on Saturday. Mohammad Sultan, a BA second year student of the institute, said going for shopping in markets or parks for recreation was a challenge for the people with visual disability. Heavy traffic and haphazard Continued on page 2 Visually impaired voters show an ink mark in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR Amritsar, June 1 In order to keep a close watch on the polling stations in Amritsar, state’s largest webcasting control room was set up in the holy city. After polling concluded for the last leg of the Lok Sabha elections today, District Election Officercum-Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori honoured volunteers of the webcasting control room who kept an eagle eye on each booth in Amritsar constituency. Thori said the exercise had proved to be a milestone for conducting elections in a peaceful environment. “While watching live broadcast through CCTV cameras installed at polling stations, volunteers reported even minutest of the problem at booths to the election staff which was resolved immediately. This helped in smooth conduct of elections,” the District Election Officer (DEO) said, while appreciating efforts of volunteers, who were students of various schools and colleges in Amritsar. The live broadcast from 1,684 booths was seen on screens in the webcasting control room set up at the community hall of the Amritsar Improvement Trust, said Thori. It was closely monitored by 200 volunteers on computers and big screens, he added. Wherever any mistake, mischief, quarrel, procrastination, technical fault in voting machines or violation of the instructions of the Election Commission was observed by students, it was brought to the attention of the election staff and the Assistant Returning Officer of the constituency concerned, said Thori. He said no untoward incident was reported in the entire district during the elections.