The stage is set for counting of votes of municipal corporations and municipal committees elections in Haryana.The voting to the municipal corporations of Karnal, Panipat, Yamunanagar, Rohtak and Hisar and municipal committees of Jakhal Mandi in Fatehabad and Pundri in Kaithal was held on December 16. A voter turnout of 69.30 per cent was recorded in the municipal elections in Haryana. Polling was held in 110 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Hisar, Rohtak, Yamuna Nagar, Panipat and Karnal, and 25 wards of Jakhal Mandi (Fatehabad) Aand Pundri (Kaithal) respectively.'
This is the first time that elections are being held for the posts of mayors. 59 candidates which include 40 men and 19 women, contested the election for the seats of Mayor. This was also the first time in the electoral history of municipal elections in the country that none of the above (NOTA) option was introduced in the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
WATCH: LIVE STREAMING OF MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) had contested the elections on their respective party symbols. However, the Congress chose not to use the party symbol for candidates which have been backed by the party.
The INLD is in alliance with the BSP and Congress has supported an Independent mayoral candidate Asha Wadhwa to take on BJP candidate and outgoing Mayor Renu Bala Gupta in Karnal. In other four towns also, the Congress supported Independent mayoral candidates. The INLD-BSP alliance fielded its candidates for mayoral polls in four towns while the BJP fielded its candidates for the election of Mayor and ward councillors in all five corporations.
