The Punjab legislative assembly election, 2012 was held on 30 January 2012, to elect 117 members to the 14th Punjab Legislative Assembly. The results of the election were announced on 6 March 2012. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal – Bharatiya Janata Party alliance led by Parkash Singh Badal won the elections and became Chief Minister of Punjab for the fifth time.
Background Punjab have tradition of transfer of power every 5 years between Shiromani Akali Dal and Indian National Congress but this election of 2012 is different from others where ruling party again came to power
2012 Assembly Elections in Punjab received attention for being the first elections after reorganisation of Punjab in 1966 to witness the return of an incumbent party.
This elections also saw the emergence of new political leadership, like rise of Sukhbir Singh Badal and the rise and fall of Manpreet Singh Badal, the founder of the Peoples Party of Punjab.
Religion and Caste Data Religion Data
As per the 2011 census, 2011 Population data of Punjab (Religion Based)S. No.Religion% Population1.Sikhs57.682.Hindus37.53.Muslims1.934.Christians1.35.Buddhists1.26.Jains0.167.Others/Non-religions0.31 Caste Data
Dalits (Scheduled Castes) constitute 31.94% of the population, the highest percentage amongst all the states. Other Backward Classes (OBCs) like -Sainis, Sunar, Kambojs, Tarkhans/Ramgarhias, Gurjars, Kumhars/Prajapatis, Telis, Banjaras, Lohars constitute 31.3% of the population. Jat-Sikhs comprise 21% of the population while other forward castes (general category) - Brahmins, Khatris/Bhapas, Bania, Thakurs/Rajputs constitute around rest. As of 2016, Government of India has not publicly released Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 caste population data for every single non-SC/ST castes (General castes, OBC/EBCs) in India.
Caste Population data of Punjab Constitutional categoriesPopulation (%)CastesOther Backward Classes (OBC)31.3%includes Sikh Rajputs, Saini (Sainis added to OBC list in 2016), Sunar, Kamboj, Labana, Tarkhan/Ramgarhia, Kumhar/Prajapati, Arain, Gurjar, Teli, Banjara, Lohar, Bhat, OthersScheduled Castes (Dalits)31.9%includes Mazhabi Sikh - 10%, Ramdasia Sikh/Ravidassia (Chamar)/Ad-Dharmi - 13.1%, Balmiki/Bhanghi - 3.5%, Bazigar - 1.05%, Others - 4%Unreserved (mostly Upper castes)33%includes Jat Sikh - 21%, (Brahmin, Rajput, Bania, Khatri-Arora-Sood) - 12%Others (religious minorities)3.8%includes Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains
Timeline of events
Schedule for General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Punjab 2012
S.No. EventDateDay1.Date for Nominations05.01.2012 Thursday2.Last Date for filing Nominations12.01.2012 Thursday3.Date for scrutiny of nominations13.01.2012 Friday4.Last date for withdrawal of candidatures16.01.2012 Monday5.Date of poll30.01.2012Monday6.Date of counting04.03.2012 Sunday7.Date before which the election shall be completed09.03.2012 Friday
Voter Turnout
Regions/DistrictsTotal SeatsTurnout (%)CongressSAD+BJPBSPIndependentsOthersWonVote (%)WonVote (%)WonVote (%)WonVote (%)MAJHAMajha2575.0941.21647.201.201.1Gurdaspur1076.3542.7545.800.901.4Amritsar1171.8338.5848.900.901.0Tarn Taran479.6143.9346.602.600.9DOABADoaba2376.4637.11641.304.0012.1Kapurthala479.0243.4244.102.707.4Jalandhar975.6037.9943.203.0012.7Hoshiarpur775.2235.9440.903.109.5Nawan Shahr379.3229.6132.9011.0021.9MALWAMalwa6980.63140.63640.306.903.0Rupnagar377.5137.9241.4010.305.0SAS Nagar375.8230.7138.304.607.7Fatehgarh Sahib381.9233.7135.5020.904.1Ludhiana1476.0640.7639.904.603.3Moga480.5143.2345.203.801.5Ferozepur883.4337.4539.402.801.9Muktsar485.2240.2241.0012.702.6Faridkot384.1138.8243.207.102.3Bathinda682.6240.9442.009.701.6Mansa384.4138.4239.608.702.6Sangrur784.5240.4541.5010.902.9Barnala381.8345.9040.104.104.0Patiala878.5549.9337.603.102.8Total11778.64640.16841.905.204.3“Others” in this
Parties and Alliances
No.PartyFlagSymbolPhotoLeaderSeats contestedSeats Won1.Shiromani Akali DalSukhbir Singh Badal94562.Bharatiya Janata Party2312
No.PartyFlagSymbolPhotoLeaderSeats contestedSeats Won1.Indian National Congress Captain Amarinder Singh11746
Sanjha Morcha
No.PartyFlag SymbolPhotoLeaderSeats contested1. People's Party of Punjab Manpreet Singh Badal 872. Communist Party of India (Marxist) 93. Communist Party of India 144. Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal)
No.PartyFlag SymbolPhotoLeaderSeats contested1. Bahujan Samaj Party Jasbir Singh Garhi117
Others Source: No.PartySeats contested1.Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)572. BSP(A) 173. BGTD10 4 Nationalist Congress Party135. Communist Party of India (M–L) Liberation76.BSA67BCP38 BRSP69Lok Janshakti Party2610Rashtriya Janata Dal111Independent politician41812Shiv Sena1213SSPD5
Opinion Polls Most of the opinion polls predicted that Congress will win the election. They were proved wrong as Congress finished as the runner up. Polling firm/Link SAD-BJP INC OthersIndia Today Aaj Tak40698Election results564615
Exit Polls 2012 exit polls for Punjab Assembly Elections results. Polling firm/Link SAD-BJP INC Others India TV C-Voter47655News 2452605CNN-IBN51-6348-603-9Election results564615
Results
Party-wise Results Parties and coalitionsPopular voteSeatsVotes%±pp ContestedWon+/−Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) 4,828,612 34.73 2.36 94 56 8Indian National Congress (INC) 5,572,643 40.09 0.81 117 46 2Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 998,098 7.18 1.1 23 12 7Independents (IND) 938,770 6.75 0.07 418 3 2 Total 13,901,424 100.00 117 Valid votes13,901,42499.94Invalid votes8,1490.06Votes cast / turnout13,909,57378.30Abstentions 3,855,18221.70Registered voters 17,764,755
Result by region
RegionSeatsINCSADBJPOthersMalwa69313422Majha2591150Doaba2361151Sum117465612 3 Among parties: RegionsTotal seatsTurnout (%) Congress SAD+BJPWonVotes (%)WonVotes (%)Majha 2575.0941.2 16 47.2Doaba2376.4637.11641.3Malwa6980.63140.63640.3Total11778.64640.16841.9
Results by district +DistrictSeatsINCSADBJPOTHAmritsar113620Gurdaspur105500Pathankot30030Tarn Taran41300Jalandhar90630Hoshiarpur72311Kapurthala42110Nawanshahr32100Ludhiana146602Patiala85300Sangrur72500Bathinda62400Firozpur83410Moga41300Sri Muktsar Sahib42200Barnala33000Faridkot31200Fatehgarh Sahib32100Mansa31200Rup Nagar31110S.A.S. Nagar32100Total1174656123
Result by constituency