Punjab civic polls today across 103 urban bodies; over 7,500 candidates in fray

CHANDIGARH: Polling for elections to 103 urban local bodies in Punjab, including eight municipal corporations, 75 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats, will be held on Tuesday.

A total of 7,555 candidates are contesting across 1,896 wards. Of them, 1,613 candidates to contest for 396 wards in eight municipal corporations of Abohar, Batala, Barnala, Bathinda, Kapurthala, Mohali, Moga and Pathankot.

In 75 municipal councils, 5,142 candidates are contesting in 1,282 wards, while 800 candidates are in the fray in 218 wards of 20 nagar panchayats. The electorate across the 103 urban bodies stands at 35.45 lakh, including 18.33 lakh male voters, 17.11 lakh female voters and 220 others.

Authorities have deployed around 32,000 police personnel and 35,000 election staff to conduct the polls smoothly. It is informed that a total of 740 polling booths have been declared sensitive and 274 hypersensitive.

The counting of votes will take place on May 29.

Meanwhile, officials said elections to four municipal councils namely Dinanagar, Gurdaspur, Qadian and Sham Chaurasi would be held separately at a later stage.