Candidates contesting assembly polls in Punjab cast their votes

Amritsar/Jalandhar, Jan 30 (ANI): Candidates contesting the assembly polls in Punjab cast their votes on Monday, and urged the voters to exercise their franchise to strengthen democracy.

Around 17.6 million people will decide the fate of 1,078 candidates, including two chief ministerial aspirants, Parkash Singh Badal of the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition and Amarinder Singh of the Congress Party.

Om Prakash Saini, the Congress candidate from Amritsar, emphasised the importance of voting.

"This is a democracy. Everybody has the right to vote. This leads to the formation of a government, so it is essential to vote," said Saini.

Anant Singh, the brother of a specially abled boy, came to vote on his brother's behalf and said every vote counts.

"We have come to vote on his behalf, because he cannot use his own hands. So, that's why we have come here. Each vote is precious for a candidate to win, so we have come here so that not even a single vote goes," said Singh.

Former hockey player and Akali Dal candidate from Jalandhar, Pargat Singh, reiterated the same message.

"I have appealed to the people to make this a strong democracy, there should be maximum voting, this is your right and whatever people want will eventually show up in the results," said Singh.

The assembly elections are being held at 19,841 polling booths across 22 districts of the state, out of which 2,718 have been categorised hyper sensitive and 6,379 as sensitive.

Polls results will be declared on March 6. (ANI)