Punjab: Vote count begins for zila parishad, panchayat samiti elections
Chandigarh (PTI): Counting of votes for the zila parishad and panchayat samiti elections in Punjab began on Wednesday amid tight security arrangements, said officials.
Polls were held to elect members of 347 zones of 22 zila parishads and 2,838 zones of 153 panchayat samitis on December 14.
A voter turnout of 48 per cent was recorded in the daylong polling, with over 9,000 candidates in the fray.
Counting of ballot papers started at 8 am at centres set up across the state.
Candidates of all major political parties -- the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, and the BJP -- contested the zila parishad and panchayat samiti polls on party symbols.
On December 14, opposition parties Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal had accused the ruling AAP of indulging in "blatant electoral malpractices" during the polling.
Earlier, they had also targeted the Bhagwant Mann government, accusing it of using the government machinery to prevent their candidates from filing nomination papers and getting those rejected.
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
