Around 79 per cent polling was reported in the election held to 14 Municipal Councils, 28 Municipal Committees and in some wards of other municipalities in Haryana on Sunday.
Though the political parties did not contest the election on party symbol, the election assumed significance as it came three months after violent protests by Jats in the state.
Haryana State Election Commissioner Rajeev Sharma said that polling in the 14 Municipal Councils and 28 Municipal committees was held in a peaceful manner.
Out of total 13,85,966 voters, 1098085 had exercised their franchise and till evening, around 79 per cent polling was reported, he said. District Rohtak witnessed highest polling percentage at 87 followed by Rewari at 86.8 percent and Mewat at 83.6 per cent.
In all, 790 wards of municipal councils and municipal committees, 454 wards were reserved for SC, SC (W), BC and women. "The counting of election on all wards of the municipal councils and municipal committees along with bye election of concerned wards was held in a peaceful manner on the same day and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere," Sharma said. Out of 1730 candidates, 997 male and 733 females contested the elections for 354 wards of 14 municipal councils and 1608 candidates including 861 males and 747 females contested elections on 436 wards of 28 municipal committees.
About 6780 officials and 132 duty magistrates/ supervisors were deployed to supervise these elections. For bye elections, 10 candidates contested the election for 3 wards of the Corporation/Council/Committee. Out of 1,391 polling stations, 261 polling stations were sensitive and 168 were hyper sensitive.
He said that elaborate arrangements were made for conducting elections in a free, fair, transparent and peaceful manner and to maintain the law and order. There was deployment of adequate police force to maintain law and order at the polling stations and sensitive areas for conducting the elections, added he.
Minimum educational qualification and functional toilet at place of residence were among the eligibility criteria for the contesting candidates in the municipal elections.