The counting for the Punjab rural body elections is currently in full swing across the state. And then the first results and trends from the Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls started trickling in this morning. The ballot boxes were opened at 8 AM on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, amid high-stakes tension and tight security.
The thing is, this election is being viewed as a mini-referendum for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the next Assembly polls. Here’s the kicker: early trends show a neck-and-neck battle, with opposition parties like the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress putting up a surprisingly stiff fight in several strongholds.
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Current Trends & Victories
As of Wednesday afternoon, counting centers are reporting a mix of results across different districts:
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Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Gains: SAD candidates have seen early victories in areas like Sri Muktsar Sahib and parts of Amritsar (Attari area). In Patiala district, SAD candidate Seema Devi reportedly won the Kaidupur zone by 900 votes.
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Congress Performance: The Congress party has swept both zones in Sri Anandpur Sahib and is currently leading in Rajpura.
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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Leads: The ruling party is holding its ground in Ludhiana and several zones within the Chajli block of Sangrur district, including Kankwal Bhanguan and Dharmgarh.
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Drama at the Counting Centers
It wouldn’t be a Punjab election without some friction. Let’s be real—the atmosphere is electric and, in some places, outright hostile.
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Chaos in Dera Bassi: Counting was briefly halted in Dera Bassi after allegations of “double-stamped” ballot papers surfaced. Supporters of the Akali Dal and BJP raised slogans, claiming that valid votes were being declared invalid.
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Entry Denied: In Patiala, Akali Dal workers alleged they were physically blocked from entering counting centers, while accusing the ruling party of having unauthorized representatives inside.
The overall voter turnout stood at 48%, which many analysts consider low. Opposition leaders like Partap Singh Bajwa claim this was a “silent protest” against the government, while AAP maintains that the elections were “peaceful and transparent,” or nothing.
Counting is expected to continue late into the night because everything is being done via paper ballots, which takes forever to tally compared to EVMs.
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