Before every election, there is a season of promises, and after the results, discussions begin over victory and defeat. But between these promises and results, every Assembly constituency in Punjab has its own distinct story, identity, and political temperament.
To understand these ground realities and the voice of the people, an election journey covering all 117 Assembly constituencies of Punjab has been launched. Significantly, the first stage of this journey begins from one of the most important constituencies in the holy city of Amritsar: Amritsar Central, Constituency No. 17.
The Heartbeat of the City: A Religious, Historical, and Commercial Centre
Amritsar Central is not merely an Assembly constituency; it is the heartbeat of the entire city of Amritsar. It is a constituency where heritage, faith, commerce, and Punjab’s urban politics come together.
Sri Harmandir Sahib, the centre of faith for millions of Sikhs across the world, is situated within this constituency. It is also home to Jallianwala Bagh, a symbol of patriotism, as well as centuries-old historic markets such as Hall Bazaar, Katra Jaimal Singh, and Guru Bazaar.
The millions of devotees and tourists who visit the area provide a major boost to the local economy. At the same time, these markets are counted among Punjab’s largest commercial centres.
Demographics and Voter Statistics
Amritsar Central is a completely urban constituency and an important part of the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat.
The constituency is primarily home to traders, small business owners, families associated with the service sector, and a large number of young voters.
According to the electoral roll for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the constituency had a total of 1,45,401 registered voters, including 76,488 male voters, 68,827 female voters, and a small number of voters belonging to other gender categories.
To ensure the smooth conduct of elections, 138 polling stations were established. In addition, 1,745 elderly voters above the age of 85 were provided with the facility to vote from home through postal ballots.
Political History: A Stronghold of Veterans and the Change of 2022
The politics of this constituency has always been fascinating, and it has produced several prominent political figures in Punjab.
Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leaders such as Balram Das Tandon and Professor Laxmi Kanta Chawla have represented this seat.
On the other hand, Congress leader Om Parkash Soni was elected MLA from the constituency five times and served as a minister as well as Deputy Chief Minister in the Punjab Government.
For a long period, the main contest remained between the Congress and the BJP. However, the wave of change in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections rewrote the political history of the constituency.
Aam Aadmi Party candidate Ajay Gupta defeated senior Congress leader Om Parkash Soni by a margin of nearly 14,000 votes, raising the AAP flag in the constituency for the first time.
The Voice and Problems of Ordinary People
Although political equations have continued to change, the basic concerns of the people remain largely the same.
Traffic congestion, a shortage of parking spaces, damaged roads, sewerage problems, and poor sanitation are among the constituency’s main challenges.
In addition, the rising number of visitors because of religious tourism has resulted in greater crowding, making traffic management another major issue.
Local residents say that many problems remain unresolved. Work related to sanitation, clean drinking water, and sewerage has still not been completed properly.
People from across the world come here to bow at the Guru’s shrine, but unfortunately, heaps of garbage and blocked drains can often be seen outside the narrow streets.
Residents therefore want Amritsar to be developed into a truly world-class smart city, so that visitors do not remain confined only to Darbar Sahib but return with a positive impression of the entire city.
Three Special Facts About Amritsar Central
- Nearly Equal Social Composition: It is the only Assembly constituency in Amritsar where the Hindu and Sikh populations are believed to be almost equal. This demographic balance gives the constituency a distinctive political character.
- A Completely Urban Constituency: Unlike most constituencies in Punjab, Amritsar Central has no village or agricultural land within its boundaries.
- The Akali Dal’s Absence: The Shiromani Akali Dal has remained one of Punjab’s major political parties, but no Akali candidate has ever won this seat. During the BJP–Akali Dal alliance, the constituency was always allocated to the BJP.
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