Gohana records 71% polling, highest in Sonepat district

Panipat, June 19

Residents of Panipat and Sonepat participated in the municipal elections enthusiastically to elect their chairman by casting their vote directly for the first time.

AAP candidate leaves fray midway

• AAP had fielded former MLA Bharat Singh Chhokkar in Samalkha MC for the chairman post, but he left the fray in the midst of polling
• He announced his support to Independent candidate Sanjay Beniwal, who is a Congress-supported candidate
• He said in a video message that he didn’t get any support from the party during the elections

As much as 69.3 per cent voting was recorded in Samalkha, 62.1 per cent in Gannaur, 71 per cent in Gohana and only 52 per cent voting was recorded in Kundli till 6 pm.

The fate of 32 candidates -– eight in Samalkha, eight in Gannaur and five candidates for the chairman’s post for municipal committees and 11 candidates for the chairman’s post for Gohana municipal council – was decided by voters today.

The voter turnout was less in the morning but people started coming out to cast their vote as the mercury started rising. Pleasant weather also played an important role in raising the voting percentage. No untoward incident was reported from any polling booth in Panipat and Sonepat districts.

Deputy Commissioner Sonepat Lalit Siwach, along with officials, visited polling booths in Kundli, Gannaur and Gohana during the day. When he saw a 90-year-old woman, he provided her a wheelchair and took her to polling booth number 10 in Kundli.