45% polling in Punjab till 2 pm

Around 45% of the 17.6 million electorate today exercised their franchise till 2 pm in Punjab to elect the 117-member state Assembly.

"The polling percentage is up to 45% till 2 pm," Punjab's Joint Chief electoral Officer Gurkirat Kirpal Singh said here.

Even as reports of minor clashes were received from Bathinda and Ludhiana, the electoral office maintained that the polling was peaceful as no untoward incident had occurred in the state.

Reports said that some persons attacked Ludhiana's BJP Yuva Morcha General Secretary Sanjay Kapoor following which he received minor injuries.

As per another report, stones were pelted at the Dera Sacha Sauda office located on Amrik Singh road at Bathinda. However, after police intervention the situation was brought under control.

With the People's Party of Punjab led by former Minister, Manpreet Badal alleging tampering of some EVMs in Buddhlada, the CEO said, "there were some machines from the reserve stock being adjusted when some member from PPP thought there was some tampering going on, which was not the case".

Reports said that some machines which developed technical faults resulting in minor disruption of polling process were immediately replaced from the reserved stock.

Serpentine queues were seen at different polling booths across the state, reports said.