Draw of lots breaks tie for sarpanch in Hoshiarpur village

IN JHAJJI VILLAGE OF TANDA BLOCK, THE SARPANCH WAS ELECTED BY DRAW OF LOTS; TWO CANDIDATES SARABJIT KAUR AND RUPINDER KAUR HAD POLLED 86 VOTES EACH

HOSHIARPUR:PANCHAYAT elections in 1,106 villages in 10 blocks of the district went off peacefully. As many as 299 panchayats have already been elected unanimously.

Voters enthusiastically participated in the election process. Many non- resident Indians (NRIS) had especially flown in to lobby for their favourite candidates.

In Talwara’s Beh Dariya village a 103-year old man Ranjha Ram arrived at the polling station to cast his vote.

At the model polling booths, special arrangements had been made for differently-abled and elderly persons. A selfie booth was set up at Government Secondary School, Baghpur, for first-time voters.

NGO ‘Karvat’ had decorated the model booths with slogans and rangoli.

Volunteers thanked voters when they came out of polling booths after casting their votes. DC Isha Kalia and SSP J Elanchazhian visited sensitive booths to oversee the polling process.

In Jhajji village of Tanda block, the sarpanch was elected by draw of lots.

Two candidates Sarabjit Kaur and Rupinder Kaur polled 86 votes each. Sarabjit was declared the winner in the draw of lots held by the returning officer concerned.

Section 68 of chapter XI of the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994, gives the returning officer the authority to decide the winner by lots if candidates poll equal number of votes.

In Phambra village of Hariana block, former SAD minister Mohinder Kaur Josh’s brother Prithipal Singh lost to rival Hardev Singh by 17 votes.