Punjab rural body polls results: Counting underway for 22 zila parishads, 153 panchayat samitis; AAP, Congress, SAD, BJP in fray

CHANDIGARH: Counting of votes for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab is underway under tight security, officials said on Wednesday.The polls, held on December 14, elected members of 347 zones across 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones in 153 panchayat samitis. A voter turnout of 48 per cent was recorded, with over 9,000 candidates contesting.Ballot papers are being tallied at centres set up across the state, with candidates from all major parties—the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, and BJP—competing on party symbols.On December 14, the opposition parties, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, accused the ruling AAP of indulging in “blatant electoral malpractices” during the polling.Earlier, they had also targeted the Bhagwant Mann government, accusing it of using the government machinery to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers and getting those rejected. (With agency inputs)