Votes cast in Punjab local assembly elections

Voters lined up outside polling stations in the northern state of Punjab on Sunday to cast their ballots in local assembly elections. The polls are seen as a barometer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party’s popularity ahead of general elections in 2024.

Punjab is holding one of the most intensely-contested elections as analysts believe the results will reflect whether Modi has been able to neutralize the resentment of Sikh farmers by repealing the contentious farm laws that led to more than a year-long protest by the farmer groups. 

Farmers form one of the largest voting blocs in India. The results will be announced on March 10.