M A I N   N E W S

Haryana civic poll peaceful, 70 per cent voting recorded
Naveen S Garewal/TNS

Chandigarh, June 2
Haryana reported peaceful polling in seven municipal corporations and two municipal committees recording around 70 per cent turnout despite scorching heat.

The polling was largely peaceful with reports of minor skirmishes and attempts to browbeat voters, but the state election commission described the polling as “incident-free”.

State Election Commissioner Dharam Vir said: “Polling saw a lot of enthusiasm in the day and towards the evening with a little lull in the afternoon. But the entire process was completed in a peaceful manner and no untoward incident was reported for anywhere.”

No incident of bogus voting was reporting from any municipal corporation and committee. He put the initial poll percentage at 68.07 per cent adding that the figure could go up by one or two per cent as reports were still awaited from some areas. Polling was held in seven municipal corporations of Ambala, Hisar, Karnal, Panchkula, Panipat, Rohtak and Yamunanagar. The two municipal committees of Farukhnagar and Kalanaur witnessed a much higher polling at 90.62 per cent and 87 per cent, respectively.

The poll percentage in the municipal committees is higher owing to a more fierce competition and aggressive campaign by candidates owing to physically smaller areas.

The election commissioner said three villages - Nizampur, Shimla and Mullana - in Panipat boycotted the elections as they demanded their exclusion from the ambit of the corporation and put under the panchayat.

Senior officials of the government made futile attempts to persuade the villagers to cast their ballot. Separate teams led by the Deputy Commissioner and police officers failed to persuade the villagers.

In Panchkula, nine persons were ordered to be kept under detention for the entire day as the commission suspected they would create trouble during the polling.

While the counting of votes for election to two municipal committees will be held today, the votes in case of municipal corporations will be counted on June 4 at 8 am.

The electronic voting machines will be kept in safe custody under CCTV surveillance and the watch of the Haryana Armed Police and Reserved Indian Battalion.

Dharam Vir said the highest voter turnout of 73.63 per cent was recorded in Yamunanagar, followed by 72.45 per cent in Karnal, 67.74 per cent in Rohtak and 67.13 per cent in Hisar.

Similarly, Panipat recorded 67.14 per cent voter turnout, followed by 65.82 per cent in Ambala and 62.81 per cent in Panchkula.

High turnout

Yamunanagar recorded the highest voter turnout of 73.63%, followed by Karnal (72.45%) and Rohtak (67.74%); Panchkula remained at the bottom with 62.81% polling

Farukhnagar and Kalanaur municipal committees witnessed 90.62% and 87% polling, respectively

The counting of votes for the municipal corporation elections will be held on June 4