Vote counting is underway in Haryana for key municipal corporations including Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat, determining the new mayors and ward councillors.
The counting of votes for the municipal corporations of Ambala, Panchkula, Sonipat and some other civic bodies in Haryana is underway on Wednesday.
The counting of votes started at 8 am.
Polling for the election of mayor and ward councillors in Ambala, Panchkula and Sonipat, president and councillors in the Rewari municipal council, and for presidents and councillors in the municipal committees of Sampla in Rohtak district, Dharuhera in Rewari district, and Uklana in Hisar district took place on Sunday.
In addition, bypolls were held for one ward each in the municipal councils and municipal committees of Tohana, Jhajjar, Rajound, Taraori, Kanina and Sadhaura.
Among the candidates in the fray in the three municipal corporations, for the mayor's post in Ambala, the BJP had fielded Akshita Saini against Congress nominee Kulwinder Kaur. Sonia Rani had contested as an Independent candidate.
In Panchkula, BJP's Shyamlal Bansal and Sudha Bhardwaj of the Congress contested for the mayor's post, along with AAP's Rajesh Kumar, and Manoj Agarwal of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).
For the mayor's post in Sonipat, the BJP had fielded Rajiv Jain, while Kamal Diwan was the Congress nominee.
The polling was held for 20 wards each in Ambala and Panchkula and 22 wards in Sonipat.
At present, the sitting mayors in three MCs of Panchkula, Ambala and Sonipat are from the BJP.
A spokesperson of the Haryana State Election Commission said directions had been issued to the District Election Officers and Returning Officers to ensure that the counting process is conducted in a fair, transparent, peaceful and orderly manner.
The counting of votes began at the designated counting centres.
The spokesperson said that extensive and robust security arrangements have been made at all counting centres. Only authorised persons are allowed entry at the counting venues. CCTV surveillance, barricading, deployment of adequate police force and all basic facilities have been ensured at the centres.