Haryana announces civic body polls

The Haryana State Election Commission on Tuesday announced polls in seven municipal corporations, four municipal councils and 21 municipal committees on March 2. State Election Commissioner Dhanpat Singh said with the announcement of the elections, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in the areas under the civic bodies concerned. Polling for the municipal corporations of Faridabad, Gurugram, Manesar, Hisar, Karnal, Rohtak and Yamunanagar will be held on March 2, he said. Additionally, byelection will be conducted for two mayoral seats in Ambala and Sonepat and three Municipal president seats in Sohna, Assandh and Ismailabad. For the Panipat Municipal Corporation, elections will be held separately on March 9.
Polling will be held in four municipal councils — Ambala Sadar, Pataudi Jatoli Mandi, Thanesar and Sirsa — and in the municipal councils of Barara, Bawani Khera, Loharu, Siwani, Jakhal Mandi, Farrukh Nagar, Narnaund, Beri, Julana, Kalayat, Siwan, Pundri, Indri, Nilokheri, Ateli Mandi, Kanina, Tawadu, Hathin, Kalanor, Kharkhoda and Radaur.Voting will be held from 8 am to 6 pm and the counting of votes will be taken up on March 12, Singh said. The nomination papers will be filed from February 11 to February 17, he added. 
The SEC will rely on Vidhan Sabha electoral rolls for conducting these elections. The polls will cover 212 wards in Municipal Corporations, 118 wards in Municipal Councils and 214 wards in Municipal Committees. Around 25,000 polling personnel and 10,000 EVMs will be deployed.The minimum educational qualification for mayoral candidates is Class 10 for general candidates, Class 8 for women and SC candidates, and Class 5 for SC women candidates. The same applies to ward members across different local bodies.