The Sangrur Lok Sabha by-election, surprisingly, witnessed a very low voter turnout this time. As per the data, the total voting percentage this time failed to cross even the mark of 50%. This time the total voting percentage turned out to be just 48.58%.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voting percentage was more than 72%, almost 24% more than the current turnout. This low voter turnout has tensed several political parties in Punjab as it was unexpected. The Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann even had requested the ECI to extend the time of voting, claiming that the farmers were busy with paddy transplantation in their fields.
The Election Commission Of India (ECI) has asked Punjab chief secretary Anirudh Tewari and Sangrur deputy commissioner Jitendra Jorwal to explain why they sought extension of polling time towards closing hours, asking them for a detailed explanation on the matter.
The by-election was held in Sangrur Lok Sabha as the then MP Bhagwant Mann resigned after becoming the chief minister of Punjab. This Lok Sabha constituency is considered to be a stronghold of the Aam Aadmi Party, but since the murder of renowned Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala, the situation has changed, and the challenges for the AAP have increased.
Though the investigation in the Moose Wala case is ongoing, Sidhu Moose Wala’s fans were unhappy with CM Mann’s decision to scale down the security of Moose Wala. The counting of the votes for the by-election held in Sangrur, will be held on June 26.
