PANCHKULA, MAY 10 — Polling for 20 wards of the Panchkula Municipal Corporation commenced at 8 am today across 204 polling booths, with significant enthusiasm reported among local residents. Early morning queues were largely dominated by senior citizens and morning walkers who gathered to exercise their franchise before the heat of the day. Many elderly voters were seen proudly displaying their inked fingers for photographs following the voting process.
Former Army Chief General V.P. Malik (Retd), a resident of Sector 6, cast his vote alongside his wife. Speaking to the media, General Malik affirmed that his preference lies with candidates who remain accessible to the public and demonstrate a genuine passion for service. He declared that urban cleanliness and infrastructure development should remain the top priorities for the incoming corporation. Similarly, local resident Santosh Chaudhary maintained that municipal polls are as vital as assembly elections, as they directly impact daily civic necessities such as road repairs and waste management.
On the political front, BJP mayoral nominee Shyam Lal Bansal exercised his franchise at Sutlej Public School in Sector 2, while Congress candidate Sudha Bhardwaj voted at the Government Senior Secondary School in Sector 6. The administration has deployed two separate EVM machines at each polling station—one specifically for the mayoral contest and another for the ward councillors. While the primary battle remains between national parties, independent candidates are reportedly mounting a strong challenge in several key areas.
