Five Haryana MCs to go to polls on December 16

To be held for Hisar, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Panipat and Karnal corporations and Jakhal Mandi (Fatehabad) and Pundri (Kaithal) municipal committees

Haryana state election commission (SEC) on Thursday announced to hold elections in Hisar, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Panipat and Karnal municipal corporations (MCs) on December 16, wherein voters will elect mayors directly, unlike in the past when MC members elected them. The SEC will also hold elections in Jakhal Mandi (Fatehabad) and Pundri (Kaithal) municipal committees.

Haryana state election commission (SEC) on Thursday announced to hold elections in Hisar, Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Panipat and Karnal municipal corporations (MCs) on December 16, wherein voters will elect mayors directly, unlike in the past when MC members elected them.

The SEC will also hold elections in Jakhal Mandi (Fatehabad) and Pundri (Kaithal) municipal committees.

Electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be used to conduct the elections. “This is for the first time when the electors of corporations will cast their votes to elect their mayor directly,” Dr Dalip Singh, state election commissioner, said while announcing the poll schedule here.

“The elections for the seats of senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor of the MCs and presidents and vice-presidents of the municipal committees will be held indirectly as per earlier practice.” Also, it is for the first time that the NOTA (None of the above) option will be used in the MC polls (see box).

In Haryana, there are 10 MCs, of which five will go to polls on December 16.

While elections have already been held in Gurugram and Faridabad MCs, polls to Sonepat MC have been put on hold due to the delimitation exercise that is underway.

The matter relating to elections in Ambala and Panchkula MCs is pending in the Punjab and Haryana high court.

BARRED FROM CONTESTING

Dr Dalip Singh said all contesting candidates will have to submit election expenditure within 30 days from the date of declaration of election results to the deputy commissioner of their districts .

The defaulting candidate will be disqualified from contesting elections for five years.

PAST CANDIDATES DISQUALIFIED

He said the commission has already disqualified 531 such defaulting candidates in the five poll-bound municipal corporations, for failing to file their election expenditure statement during the last elections held in 2013.

“Those disqualified cannot contest election this time,” Dr Singh said.

This is for the first time when the electors of municipal corporations in Haryana will cast their votes to elect their mayors directly. EVMs will be used to conduct polls. DALIP SINGH, state election commissioner