Amritsar, Sep 22: Counting of votes for Punjab Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections 2018 results has begun from 8 am today. Polling to elect 354 Zila Parishad and 2,900 Panchayat Samiti members across Punjab was held on September 19. Zee Punjab Haryana and PTC News are hosting live streaming on the Punjab Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections results. Click here to watch live telecast on rural body polls in Punjab. Catch live updates on Punjab Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections results here.

A triangular contest between the ruling Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine was seen in elections to 22 Zila Parishads and 150 Panchayat Samitis in Punjab. Before the counting of votes, 33 candidates have been elected unopposed to various Zila Parishads, and 369 nominees were elected unopposed to the Panchayat Samitis.

Watch: Live coverage of Punjab rural poll results on PTC

In Majha region, the Congress won 25 per cent seats unopposed. Stray incidents of violence marred polling to elect local body representatives across the state. Clashes between Congress and SAD workers were reported from Raja Sansi in Amritsar, Jhoke Harihar in Ferozepur, Lodhi Gujjar in Ajnala and Sohia Kalan in Majitha.

While the Congress had expressed confidence over registering a “clean sweep” in the local body polls, the AAP and the SAD-BJP alliance had said there would be a surprise “provided the state election commission ensures free and fair elections.” The fate of kin of a few state ministers, including Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhbinder Sarkaria, and some legislators, including Fatehjang Bajwa, Balvinder Singh will be decided today.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 22, 2018 09:45 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).