Chandigarh, May 28: Nearly 45 per cent polling was reported on Monday in the bye-election to the Shahkot assembly seat in Punjab, a poll official said.

With the prevailing heat wave in Punjab, voters started queuing up early in the day to cast their votes. Voting began at 7 a.m. 

Long queues of voters, including women, were seen at some polling stations, especially in rural areas in the constituency located in Jalandhar district. 

Chief Electoral Officer S. Karuna Raju said earlier that 1,72,676 voters will decide the fate of 12 candidates in this constituency.

The main contest is between the ruling Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making it a three-cornered one.

Over 1,000 security personnel, including Punjab Police and Border Security Force (BSF), have been stationed in the constituency for a smooth process.

The seat fell vacant following the death of sitting Akali Dal legislator Ajit Singh Kohar in February. Kohar, a former minister, was elected five times from this seat. 

His son Naib Singh Kohar has been fielded by the Akali Dal. 

The Congress candidate is Hardev Singh Ladi, who had lost to Kohar by nearly 5,000 votes in the assembly elections in February 2017.

The AAP has fielded Rattan Singh as its candidate. 

Counting of votes will take place on May 31.

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Beijing : Pizza Hut China has taken a bold step into culinary experimentation by introducing a limited-edition pizza topped with deep-fried bullfrog, a move that has garnered both curiosity and criticism online. The unconventional dish was first highlighted by global food trend expert David Henke, who shared a photo of the new menu item on X (formerly Twitter), noting the diverse protein preferences in different cultures.

The pizza, known as "Goblin Pizza," features a thick crust, red sauce, a layer of parsley, and a whole deep-fried bullfrog as the centerpiece. The frog's "eyes" are created with halved hard-boiled eggs, each topped with a black olive, making for a visually striking presentation. According to Korean news outlet Maeil Business Newspaper, the unusual offering is a collaboration with Dungeons and Dragons, inspired by a character from the game.

Details about the availability of this new creation are limited, with no specific information provided on Pizza Hut’s official website. However, the quirky menu item has already become a talking point on social media, drawing a mix of reactions ranging from shock to curiosity.

On Reddit, a photo of the pizza was shared, fueling further debate. Some users labeled the dish as “pure blasphemy,” while one user went so far as to say, “This pizza is a felony.” Another asked, “Why ruin a pizza like that?”

Not all feedback was negative; one commenter admitted that while the frog might be off-putting, they'd be more accepting if the pizza underneath was satisfactory. Another joked, "You can ribbet this right into the garbage."

Amidst the critique, there were voices of intrigue. One foodie defended the dish, saying, “Fried frog legs are so good! Maybe next time, shred the frog leg meat and add it to the pizza—that would be pretty good.”