Punjab: Polling for Jalandhar West bypoll underway

Jalandhar, Jul 10 (PTI) Voting for the Jalandhar West assembly bypoll is underway in Punjab.

Amid tight security arrangements, polling began at 7 am on Wednesday and will continue till 6 pm, officials said. Votes will be counted on July 13.

The Jalandhar West constituency is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with major political outfits like AAP, Congress and BJP vying to outdo each other.

Fifteen candidates are in the fray for the by-election.

There are a total of 1,71,963 eligible voters — 89,629 males, 82,326 females and eight third gender voters.

There are 874 Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category voters for whom necessary arrangements of wheelchairs and pick-and-drop facility have been made, the officials said.

A total of 181 polling stations have been set up, they said, adding that 10 model polling booths have been set up.

The Jalandhar West assembly seat fell vacant after Sheetal Angural resigned as AAP legislator and joined the BJP in March.

The ruling AAP has fielded Mohinder Bhagat, the son of former minister Bhagat Chunni Lal.

The Congress has placed its bet on Surinder Kaur, a former senior deputy mayor, while the BJP has fielded Angural.

Though the Shiromani Akali Dal had fielded Surjit Kaur for the bypoll, it later withdrew its support and disowned her amid the party’s ongoing infighting.

Later, the SAD had announced its decision to support BSP nominee Binder Kumar for the bypoll.