EC hawk-eyes ensure fair play

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">KAPURTHALA: It was the eagle-eyed Election Commission which ensured a level playing field in this hard-fought bypoll.<br /><br />Never before had the Election Commission demonstrated such concern over an assembly byelection.<br /><br />This was more than evident from the last-minute appointment of a fourth observer on Sunday, few hours before the constituency was to go to polls.<br /><br />The fourth observer, R N Sahay, arrived here to join his three team-mates to supervise the constituency in which 113 of the 116 polling booths had been declared sensitive.<br /><br />Earlier, on Friday the commission had nominated IG S M Sharma as an observer for the law and order situation.Prior to that D K Dodawat and Jagjivan Garg were monitoring the situation on behalf of the commission.<br /><br />The presence of central observers in the constituency only ensured a level playing for the two main contenders, the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />When the polling ended, both sides sounded equally confident of carrying the day. The turnout of voters in the constituency recorded an all-time high.<br /><br />While many believed that the high turnout would favour the Congress, the SAD leaders sounded no less optimistic saying that the Congress'' failure to manipulate polling recklessly had brightened their chances of victory.<br /><br />SAD president Parkash Singh Badal camped here for most part of the day while his party leaders stuck to the constituency despite the police drive to hound them out.<br /><br />Chief minister Amarinder Singh remained in constant touch with his party leaders in the constituency from Patiala.<br /><br />More than the Garhshankar by-election, it is the Kapurthala contest that has been the focus of attention of the Congress and the SAD as both, Amarinder and Badal, have high political stakes here.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><br />Interestingly both the candidates, Sukhjinder Kaur (Congress) and Raghbir Singh (SAD) did not find ready support from their respective political parties.<br /><br />Sukhjinder faced under-currents of defiance from the Congress ranks for a section of the party leaders did not want her mentor Rana Gurmit Singh, MP, to gain strength in the region.<br /><br />Raghbir Singh too had to face resentment within the party because of his laidback style of functioning during the last terms as an MLA.<br /><br />But Amarinder and Badal personally ensured that the workers of their parties did not affect the poll prospects.<br /><br />The counting of votes would take place on October 16.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Kapurthala 68 pc, Garhshankar 65 pc</span><br /><br />Garhshankar and Kapurthala assembly by-elections held on Wednesday were peaceful and the turnout was heavy.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section4"><div class="Normal"><br />Against apprehensions of violence and low turnout, Kapurthala recorded over 68 per cent polling, while Garhshankar witnessed around 65 per cent polling, said the additional chief electoral officer.<br /><br />Though no incidence of violence was reported from Kapurthala, the polling had to be stopped at Kalewal Bhagtan village after the Congress supporters forcibly tried to caste votes, damaging EVMs in the process. The BJP workers managed to nab three Congress supporters.<br /><br />The returning officer has recommended repoll in this booth.<br /><br />At a booth in Nangal Chura village, Congress workers allegedly kidnapped BJP polling agent Chaman Lal and thrashed him. The polling was stall for a while, but resumed later.<br /><br />Kapurthala presented a picture of peace and bonhomie. Women voters turned out in large number. Interestingly, both Akalis and policemen claimed to have worked for peace.</div> </div>