THE Haryana Assembly elections on Saturday saw a turnout of over 60 per cent, a decline from the 2019 figure, with several exit polls predicting a clear majority for the Congress, which is eyeing a comeback after a decade. According to the Election Commission, the single phase of polls in 90 Assembly seats held from 7 am to 6 pm concluded largely peacefully, except for stray incidents of minor scuffles. Figures available at 7 pm showed the turnout was 61.19 per cent. However, it will further increase once all information comes in, said officials. In the 2019 Assembly polls, Haryana had recorded around 68 per cent turnout while in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year for 10 seats, the percentage was 64.8. The EC said with a significant population of elderly voters, many above the age of 100 years were seen participating in the electoral festivities with enthusiasm.

 

The BJP, the Congress, the INLD-BSP and the JJP-Azad Samaj Party alliances and the Aam Aadmi Party are the key parties contesting the polls. A total of 1,031 candidates are in the fray, including 101 women and 464 Independent nominees. Counting will be taken up on October 8. Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed his party is going to form Government with comfortable majority and reiterated that the decision on chief ministerial face will be taken by the high command on the opinion of the Congress MLAs. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini too asserted the BJP will form the Government for a third time with a big mandate. Speaking to reporters in Kurukshetra after polling was over, he said in the last 10 years, the BJP Government worked for every section. Among the top names in the fray besides Saini are BJP’s Anil Vij and O P Dhankar, Congress’s Hooda and Vinesh Phogat, INLD’s Abhay Singh Chautala and JJP’s Dushyant Chautala. EC data available at 7 pm showed Ambala recorded a turnout of 63.35, Bhiwani 63.06, Fatehabad 67.05, Hisar 64.79, Jhajjar 60.52, Jind 66.02, Kaithal 62.53, Karnal 60.42, Kurukshetra 65.55, Mahendragarh 65.76, Nuh 68.28, Palwal 67.69, Rewari 60.91, Rohtak 61.59, Sirsa 65.37 and Yamunanagar 67.93. However, districts like Gurgaon reported lesser poll percentage. According to 7 pm data, Gurgaon recorded 49.97, Faridabad 51.90, Charkhi Dadri 58.10, Sonipat 56.09 and Panchkula 54.71 per cent.