Chandigarh, May 26 (PTI): Clashes involving supporters of Congress, AAP, BJP and SAD and allegations of booth capturing were reported on Tuesday at several places in Punjab during the civic elections that saw 63.94 per cent polling amid a heatwave.

The local body elections is being seen as crucial for all major political parties of the state as they are taking place ahead of the assembly polls next year. It is a litmus test for the ruling AAP which is hoping to retain power in Punjab.

Polling through ballot papers began at 8 am and continued till 5 pm. Counting will take place on May 29.

According to officials, out of total 35 lakh voters, 22.38 lakh votes polled, showing a voter turnout of 63.94 per cent.

Elections were held in 1,897 wards across eight municipal corporations -- Mohali, Bathinda, Abohar, Barnala, Kapurthala, Moga, Batala, and Pathankot -- besides 75 municipal councils and 19 nagar panchayats, officials said.

They further said in polling for municipal corporations, the voter turnout was 59.91 per cent. In municipal councils and nagar panchayats, polling percentages were 65.06 and 76.18 respectively.

There were reports of clash incidents at many places.

Congress candidate from Ward number 4 in Raikot, Jagdev Singh Jagga was injured in an attack with sharp-edged weapons by a group of people. He was admitted to a private hospital in Ludhiana, officials said.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa condemned the incident and slammed the AAP government over the law and order situation in the state.

"The brutal attack on Congress candidate Jagdev Singh Jagga in Raikot exposes the complete collapse of law and order under the Bhagwant Mann government.

"Gangsters and political goons are roaming freely while the government is busy with ads and reels. If election candidates are unsafe, imagine the condition of common people in Punjab," Warring said on X.

Warring later in the evening inquired the health of Jagga after visiting the hospital in Ludhiana.

"Any attack on my Congress worker is like an attack on my family. The brutal attack on Jagdev Singh Jagga is deeply disturbing and unacceptable. Violence has no place in democracy. Those responsible must be identified and brought to justice immediately. Punjab cannot be allowed to function through fear and intimidation," Warring said.

In Barnala, the husband of BJP candidate from Ward number 15, Deepinder Kaur, was assaulted by a group of people following heated exchanges after he made allegations of bogus voting. His turban was removed and he suffered injuries, after which he was taken to a hospital.

A clash erupted between the supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gidderabha in Muktsar district during polling in Ward numbers 18 and 19, officials said.

The SAD later lodged a complaint with the Punjab State Election Commission against AAP MLA Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon and others, accusing them of indulging in booth capturing, assault and intimidation during municipal elections and demanded an FIR be registered against them.

However, officials rejected the claims of any booth capturing incident during polling.

Tension prevailed in Samana in Patiala supporters of two rival political parties clashed and later pelted stones at cops during polling in Ward number 19.

The police resorted to cane charging to disperse the crowd and polling was temporarily stalled, the officials said.

In Amritsar's Majitha, supporters of SAD and AAP clashed, prompting police to intervene in the matter, they said.

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia attacked the Mann government over the incident and alleged that during the council elections in Majitha, AAP workers with the support of the Punjab Police, indulged in booth capturing, violence and intimidation.

He further said that a Sikh youth was stripped of his turban and alleged that Majitha is no longer governed by the rule of law.

He claimed that Congress candidates, independent candidates, opposition workers and ordinary voters were subjected to intimidation and hooliganism during polling.

In Maur Mandi, the supporters of the BJP and AAP were involved in heated exchanges.

Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring alleged that violence, intimidation and pressure tactics witnessed during elections are deeply shameful and completely unacceptable in a democracy.

"I strongly demand strict action against every person involved in these attacks and acts of lawlessness, irrespective of political affiliation," he alleged.

A total of 7,555 candidates were in the fray. The ruling party AAP has fielded the highest number of candidates at 1,801, followed by 1,550 from the Congress, 1,316 from the BJP, 1,251 from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and 96 from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Besides, there were 1,528 Independent candidates contesting the polls.

Voters, particularly elderly individuals and women, were seen queuing up at polling booths in the morning to avoid scorching heat during the day.

Among early voters, Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma cast his vote at a polling booth in Pathankot.

Punjab Congress chief Warring, along with his wife Amrita Warring, reached a polling station in Muktsar on a bullock cart. He said that he wanted to give a message to the Union government that ordinary citizens are "suffering" because of the frequent fuel price hike.

A total of 740 polling booths were declared sensitive and 275 hyper-sensitive. Around 35,000 election personnel and 32,000 police personnel were deployed on election duty. PTI CHS SKY SKY

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)