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EC observer reports Punjab CM Badal's son

Nearly 70 per cent of the 119,000 voters of Adampur assembly constituency in Punjab voted in the bye-election today. The polling was peaceful but for minor skirmishes.

G P Verma, the observer appointed by the Election Commission, said Union Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, and several Punjab ministers were driving around the constituency with big motorcades.

Verma has reported this to the commission, Punjab's chief electoral officer, and the district election officer.

A shopkeeper was allegedly beaten up by a youth accompanying Badal's motorcade.

Some ministers, including Minister of State for Tourism Jagir Kaur, also tried to enter polling booths, but were prevented by the police.

Polling was briefly held up at Akhara village near Bhogpur following a wordy duel between Akali Dal and Congress workers.

At Bhatnura Lubana, tempers ran high between Congress workers and Akali activists on setting up the polling booth.

Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Vidwant Kaur told the media at Nangal Fidda village that some Congress activists tried to mislead her supporters at Moga and Laroi villages by claiming that she had retired in favour of their candidate Kanwaljit Singh Lalli.

UNI

Assembly Election '98

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