Chandigarh: Following the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct for the Tarn Taran Assembly by-election, the Punjab Police, acting on the directions of the Election Commission, has made seizures of drugs, liquor, cash, and freebies valued at over ₹57.47 crore.
According to official data, from October 7 — the day the Model Code of Conduct came into effect — till November 3, the police in the Tarn Taran constituency seized 51,429.50 litres of liquor worth ₹32.89 lakh, narcotic substances valued at ₹56.67 crore (21,811.10 grams), cash amounting to ₹9.73 lakh, and other items worth ₹37.85 lakh.
Round-the-Clock Surveillance Ordered
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sibin C said police have been directed to maintain 24×7 surveillance through CCTV cameras at all checkpoints in the constituency to curb illegal smuggling activities.
He added that strict action is being taken against those attempting to influence voters by distributing cash, liquor, or any kind of freebies during the election period.
Over 1.9 Lakh Voters to Cast Ballots
The CEO said there are 192,838 voters in the Tarn Taran constituency — including 100,933 men, 91,897 women, and eight third-gender voters.
The constituency also has 1,357 service voters, 1,657 voters aged above 85 years, 306 NRI voters, and 1,488 voters with disabilities. Additionally, 3,333 are first-time voters aged between 18 and 19 years.
222 Polling Stations Across Rural and Urban Areas
There are 222 polling stations at 114 locations, of which 60 are urban and 162 are rural, the CEO said.
Bypoll on November 11 After Death of AAP MLA
The Tarn Taran bypoll, scheduled for November 11, was necessitated by the death of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kashmir Singh Sohal, who had won the seat with 52,935 votes, defeating Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harmeet Singh Sandhu.
Fifteen Candidates in the Fray
A total of 15 candidates are contesting the bypoll. Prominent names include Sukhwinder Kaur of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Harjit Singh Sandhu of the BJP, Harmeet Singh Sandhu of the Aam Aadmi Party, and Karanbir Singh of the Congress.