Punjab Newsline | Panchkula
Haryana municipal corporation elections announced on Monday. The State Election Commission, in a press conference, stated that voting in Sonipat, Panchkula, and Ambala municipal corporations will be held on May 10, while the results will be declared on May 13.
State Election Commissioner Devender Kalyan informed that by-elections for Panchayati Raj institutions will also be conducted alongside the urban local body polls. Voting will take place for one ward each in the district councils of Panipat and Karnal, 12 block committee members, 29 sarpanch posts, and 485 panch positions. The results for Panchayati Raj by-elections will be announced on the same day as voting, May 10.
With the announcement, the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in the concerned areas. Transfers of employees assigned election duties have been halted, and a letter has been sent to the Chief Secretary in this regard.
Election officials stated that polling staff will now receive honorarium equivalent to the rates fixed by the Central Election Commission. Voting will be conducted using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), but VVPATs will not be used.
Areas Going to Polls:
- Municipal Corporations: Ambala, Panchkula, Sonipat
- Municipal Council: Rewari
- Municipal Committees: Sampla (Rohtak), Uklana (Hisar), Dharuhera (Rewari)
The Election Commissioner clarified that the Model Code of Conduct will apply only in areas where elections are being held. He also noted that any state-level events, such as the Ambedkar Jayanti program scheduled in Panchkula on April 14, will now require prior approval from the election authorities.
NOTA Rule Changed
The “None of the Above” (NOTA) option will be available to voters; however, it will not impact the final results. Even if NOTA receives the highest number of votes, it will not trigger a re-election. Instead, the candidate with the highest number of valid votes (excluding NOTA) will be declared the winner.