Gurugram, March 18 The elections for the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council concluded peacefully in the districts of Gurugram, Faridabad, and Nuh on Wednesday, according to an official.
Polling, conducted using paper ballots, took place from 9 am to 5 pm under tight police security. Mobile phones and cameras were strictly prohibited inside the polling stations, he said.
Yashvindra Singh, the observer appointed for Gurugram, said that all arrangements were made to ensure a fair vote. The District Bar Association provided full support in the voting arrangements. Polling booths were set up in the area adjacent to the court where vehicles were parked.
Approximately 10,859 lawyers were registered in Gurugram, but only 7,497 were eligible to vote in the Bar Council elections. Large crowds of candidates and their supporters were seen at the polling stations since morning.
Former district bar association president, Advocate Kulbhushan Bhardwaj, said that a total of 5,253 votes were cast. About 157 candidates were in the race, of which 15 candidates – including six women – were from the Gurugram court.
"The district administration had made elaborate arrangements to ensure a fair and peaceful election. The voting remained peaceful," he added.
In Faridabad, eight booths were set up, including at a court complex.
The police and administration maintained tight security during the election, where eight candidates – including two women from the Faridabad court – were contesting.
In Nuh, out of a total of 1,112 voters, 868 advocates exercised their franchise, registering a voting percentage of about 78 per cent.
Three polling stations were set up in Nuh for the election.
"The polling parties and the officers on duty discharged their responsibilities with utmost devotion, vigilance, and seriousness, so that the polling process could be completed smoothly without any hindrance. The counting of votes will be done on March 20 at the designated counting centre at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh," said Akhil Pilani, Nuh District Commissioner.