"Your vote is your strength in democracy": Kejriwal urges Punjab voters to participate in Municipal polls
Chandigarh, May 26
As polling for the crucial municipal elections across Punjab gains momentum, Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday issued a fervent appeal to the electorate to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise.
In a message to the voters, Arvind Kejriwal emphasised the power of the ballot in shaping local governance and addressing the everyday concerns of citizens.
"I request all voters to definitely exercise their right to vote in the ongoing municipal elections in Punjab," Kejriwal said in a post on X, "Your vote is your strength in democracy. It resolves your small and big problems and determines the well-being of your entire family."
Polling for local elections across several Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats commenced on Tuesday, as people arrived at the polling stations with full enthusiasm.
According to Returning Officer, Damandeep Kaur, arrangements have been made in both outside and inside the premises of polling with CCTV cameras installed everywhere as per the directives of the State Election Commission and the High Court. She also urged voters to cast their vote as soon as possible to maintain crowd management at the polling booths.
"We are fully prepared; voting has begun at the polling booths. In accordance with the directives of the State Election Commission and the High Court, additional arrangements have been made, such as CCTV cameras, which you can see both inside and outside the booths. The entire force is deployed, all election parties are in place, and we are fully prepared. The staff in each polling party consists of 4 to 5 members, depending on the number of votes. Regarding the crowd you mentioned, I appeal to everyone: please do not wait for the last hour, and come cast your vote," the Returning Officer said.
Meanwhile, an Aam Aadmi Party candidate contesting from Mohali Ward Number 6, Sunny Singh Ahluwalia, termed the elections as "a festival of democracy" and urged people to come out and cast their vote.
"Look, the biggest festival of democracy is the election, and today is election day. It will decide the future direction and condition of Mohali. This is a very big day for democracy and for all of us, because today we will decide which way Mohali goes and how it develops. How beautiful it will be will be decided by everyone's vote. Therefore, I request that you come to vote, because it is an important day that will change the condition and direction of our lives in the future," he told ANI.
Polling across eight Municipal Corporations, 75 Municipal Councils and 20 Nagar Panchayats is taking place across Punjab, with counting of votes set to take place on May 29.
A total of 7555 candidates are in fray across various Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats, with Aam Aadmi Party fielding 1801 candidates, followed by 1550 candidates from Congress, 1316 candidates from BJP and 1251 candidates contesting from Akali Dal.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some good news! 🎉 My grandmother voted this morning and said the queue was organized. CCTV cameras everywhere is a big relief - last time in Mohali there were reports of bogus voting. Every vote counts, especially in local elections where real change happens. Go vote everyone!
"Your vote is your strength" - yes but what about the thousands of daily wagers who couldn't vote because they had to work? 😕 Municipal polls should ideally be held on Sundays or declared as paid holiday. People like my father who works construction can't afford losing a day's wages. Government needs to think practical.
Interesting to see how democratic processes in Punjab have evolved. CCTV monitoring and full security deployment sounds much more organized than many local elections I've seen in small towns back in the States. The return on local governance here is always impressive.
Let's be honest - 7555 candidates is madness. So many people contesting but how many actually care about waste segregation or streetlights in our colonies? I saw three AAP candidates fighting each other in my ward alone. Internal party democracy is also needed before asking citizens for votes. 🤷♀️
Kejriwal's appeal to vote is right but the real story here is the EC's preparedness. After the 2022 Punjab municipal election controversies, installing CCTVs is a smart move. No one wants a repeat of the 'unidentified' voting incidents. Punjab needs clean local governance.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.