Punjab Election 2022: The stage is set for polling in the Punjab Assembly Election 2022 with the campaigning coming to an end today in the state. Over 2.14 crore voters will decide the fate of 1304 candidates to elect 117 new members to the 16th Punjab Legislative Assembly in a multi-cornered contest that will see BJP contesting the polls separately from its longtime ally Shiromani Akali Dal. As the ruling party Congress looks to retain power in the state, it faces a challenge from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), SAD-BSP alliance, BJP-PLC alliance and a new party -Sanyukt Samaj Morcha- floated by some farmer leaders. Former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has floated Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) after his unceremonious exit from the Congress.
Also Read: Punjab Elections 2022: Full list of Congress Candidates and their Constituencies
Punjab Election 2022 voting date, time, result date: Voting for the Punjab Assembly polls will start at 7am and will conclude at 6pm. The counting of votes will take place on March 10, along with four other states of Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Uttar Pradesh. There are 24,689 polling booths in the state with 1200 voters per booth. As many as 2,14,99,804 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise.
Also Read: Punjab Assembly Election 2022 BJP-Punjab Lok Congress (PLC) Full Candidate List
Punjab Election 2022 Seats and Candidates: As many as 1,304 candidates are trying their luck in the poll battle for the 117 legislative seats across 23 districts. While 2,266 candidates had filed nominations, only 1,645 papers were found valid while 341 candidates withdrew their nomination. The highest number of candidates are in the fray from the Sahnewal and Patiala constituencies where 19 candidates are in the fray each. Of the key candidates are CM Charanjit Singh Channi from the Chamkaur Sahib seat, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu against SAD’s Bikram Singh Majithia from the Amritsar East seat, Captain Amarinder Singh from Patiala, Sukhbir Singh Badal from the Jalalabad Assembly constituency, Parkash Singh Badal from the Lambi seat, Ganieve Kaur Majithia from the Majitha seat and Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the Bathinda seat. While AAP has made Bhagwant Mann its CM candidate, Channi is Congress CM face, Sukhbir Badal is SAD’s CM face.
Also Read: Punjab Elections 2022: Full list of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates and their constituencies
Punjab Election 2022 Opinion Poll, Exit Poll: Almost all the opinion polls had projected a hung assembly in Punjab with an edge over the Aam Aadmi Party. The election commission has banned publishing of the exit poll till 6pm on March 7. The exit polls will be out after the seventh phase of polling concludes in Uttar Pradesh.