Chandigarh all set for MC polls, 172 in fray for 25 seats

Chandigarh, Dec 19 (UNI) The Union Territory of Chandigarh is all set for Municipal Corporation elections to be held tomorrow, in which electronics voting machines (EVMs) will be used for the first time.

''All necessary arrangements for the smooth conduct of the elections have be made by the administration and police department, State Election Commissioner S P Marwah told media persons here today.

While majority of the 5,57,070 voters have been provided Election Photo Identity Cards (EPICs), those who could not get it will, for the first time, be allowed to cast vote even by producing identity cards issued by their employer in absence of other relevent documents, Mr Marwah said.

Not even one of the 25 wards for which 172 candidates, inluding 53 women candidates are in the fray, have been declared sensitive and the campaign has been peaceful, he said.

At least 3750 personnel have been deployed for poll duty at 513 polling booths, which will be manned by around 3000 police personnel, the EC said.

With total 26 wards in the city, the elections for ward number seven were countermanded following the death of a candidate. The polls for it will be held on January 14, Mr Marwah said.

The counting of the votes will take place at three centres on December 22 and the results will be declared on the same day.

Simultaneous polls to the panchayat samiti and by election of a panch will be held on the same day for which separate polling stations have been set up.

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