Panchkula, May 10
Voting for the 2026 Panchkula Municipal Corporation elections began peacefully on Sunday, with voters turning up steadily at polling stations across the city. Polling started at 8 am and will continue till 6 pm for the election of the Mayor and councillors from 20 wards.
According to officials, a total of 2,07,379 voters are eligible to cast their votes in the municipal elections. The administration has established 204 polling booths across Panchkula, with separate EVMs installed for mayoral and councillor elections. Till 11 am, the voter turnout stood at 10.07 per cent.
The election is witnessing a direct contest primarily between the BJP and the Congress, while security arrangements have been tightened across the district. Around 1,535 police personnel have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling.
Haryana State Election Commissioner Dhanpat Singh Kalyan, accompanied by Panchkula Deputy Commissioner Satpal Sharma, visited several polling stations to review arrangements and monitor the voting process.
Speaking to the media, the State Election Commissioner said polling was being conducted peacefully, and voters were participating enthusiastically. He said the district administration had made elaborate arrangements for smooth polling and expressed hope that voter turnout would surpass previous municipal elections.
Congress candidate Sudha Bhardwaj said the party was contesting the elections on public issues and claimed that people were seeking change in the Municipal Corporation. She highlighted concerns about basic civic amenities and said the elections would help improve public services.
Meanwhile, BJP mayoral candidate Shyamlal Bansal expressed confidence in the party’s performance, stating that voters had been participating enthusiastically since early morning. He said Panchkula residents were actively involved in the democratic process and predicted a record voter turnout.
Among the voters, former General Pushpendra and Prem Verma stressed the importance of voting in a democracy and appealed to citizens to exercise their franchise responsibly.
Political Advisor to the Haryana Chief Minister, Tarun Bhandari, also cast his vote and urged people to participate in large numbers, claiming strong support for BJP candidates across the city.
