CHANDIGARH: About 46 percent of the more than 5.1 million eligible voters in Haryana cast their votes in the civic elections held today.
The voting was held to elect mayors and members for all wards of seven Municipal Corporations (Gurugram, Manesar, Faridabad, Hisar, Rohtak, Karnal, and Yamunanagar) across 19 districts of Haryana, excluding Panchkula, Rohtak, and Rewari. Voters also elected presidents and members for all wards of four Municipal Councils (Ambala Sadar, Pataudi, Jatoli Mandi, Thanesar, and Sirsa) and 21 Municipal Committees. Additionally, by-elections were held for the post of Mayor in the Ambala and Sonepat Municipal Corporations.
There were a total of 51,06134 voters in all these institutions. In the by-election for the Mayor, less enthusiasm was seen among the voters in Ambala Municipal Corporation and Sonipat Municipal Corporation. Similarly, the voting percentage was very low in Municipal Corporation of Faridabad and Gurugram.
In Faridabad, the turnout was approximately 40 per cent, while in the Gurugram Municipal Corporation, it stood at 41 per cent. In Farukh Nagar, the turnout was 77per cent, and in Sohana, it was 36 per cent. The Manesar Municipal Corporation recorded a 65 cent turnout, while Sonepat Municipal Corporation saw a lower turnout of 29 per cent. However, the Municipal Corporation of Rohtak had a turnout of 53 per cent. In Ambala district, the turnout was nearly 32 per cent in Ambala, 52.3 per cent in Ambala Sadar, and 67.3 per cent in Barara.
In Karnal district, the turnout was 33.2 per cent in Assandh, 46.2 per cent in Karnal, 72.7 per cent in Indri, 67.4 per cent in Nilokheri and 76.4 per cent in Taraori. At Taoru in Nuh district, 78 per cent of voters exercised their franchise.
It was 85.2 per cent in Jakhal Mandi in Fatehabad district. Narnaund in Hisar district recorded a turnout of 82.7 per cent while Hisar registered 52.4 per cent. It was 81.5 per cent in Safidon of Jind and 70.9 per cent in Julana of the district.
Haryana State Election Commissioner Dhanpat Singh said elections to various Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Municipalities of the state were conducted peacefully. The counting of votes will held on March 12 and results will also be declared on the same day.
Singh said 39 candidates were contesting for the post of mayor in nine municipal corporations and 27 were in the fray for the president’s post in five municipal councils. A total of 151 candidates are contesting the post of president in 23 municipal committees.
Singh said that voting will be held in Municipal Corporation Panipat on March 9.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the urban local bodies have an important role in providing basic facilities to the common people, and the government is effectively fulfilling its responsibility in implementing public welfare schemes.
He said people are already being provided facilities by the double engine government at the Centre and the state. "Now, after the formation of a government in urban local bodies, the triple-engine government will take the development work forward at a faster pace. When the results of the civic elections will come on March 12, BJP candidates will win by a huge margin at all seats. After this, the triple-engine government will bring about all-round development in every area. The state government fulfilled all its promises made in the election manifesto of 2014 and 2019, adding that 21 promises were made in the manifesto prepared for the civic elections and all these promises will also be fulfilled in the coming days,’’ he added.
Haryana Transport Minister Anil Vij, who cast his vote in Ambala Cantt, said, "A triple-engine government will be formed in Haryana. People are aware that the BJP governs both at the Centre and in Haryana and if the party also governs the urban local bodies, development will accelerate,” he added.
Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar was among the early voters, casting his vote at a booth in Karnal. " Voting is our democratic right and it is also our duty to exercise our franchise,” he said, exuding confidence that the BJP would win the polls.
Also Union minister of state Krishan Pal Gurjar cast his vote at a booth in Faridabad. Sunderlal Yadav, the BJP’s mayoral candidate for Manesar, where municipal elections are being held for the first time, cast his vote at a booth in the Manesar area.
Meanwhile, Congress had appealed to voters to elect its candidates with a full majority. The grand old party, out of office in Haryana for more than 10 years, is looking to turn around its electoral fortunes in the civic polls.
