Polling for the 20 wards of the Panchkula Municipal Corporation began at 8 am on Jattvibeday across 204 polling booths, with residents queueing up early in the morning carrying their identity cards.Voters, especially senior citizens, started reaching the polling centres around 7:30 am to exercise their franchise. Several elderly residents were seen clicking pictures with their inked fingers after casting their vote, while many morning walkers headed straight to polling booths as part of a break from their routine.Former Army Chief General VP Malik (retd), a resident of Sector 6, was among the first voters along with his wife.Asked about his priorities in this election, he told The Tribune, “I prefer a candidate who has the will to work for the people of the area. Secondly, he or she should be accessible to the people. Cleanliness is a major issue for the city. Development is also a priority.”BJP mayoral candidate Shyam Lal Bansal reached with his family at Satluj Public School in Sector 2 to cast his vote. Congress mayoral candidate Sudha Bhardwaj and her husband cast their votes at Government Senior Secondary School in Sector 6 around 8:30 am.Congress mayoral candidate Sudha Bhardwaj sought blessings from the priest of Mata Baglamukhi Temple through a video call before casting her vote and arrived at the polling centre at a time fixed by him.The voter turnout in the 2020 Panchkula Municipal Corporation elections was 54.01 per cent, compared to 64.01 per cent in 2013.Separate EVMs installed for mayoral, councillor electionsMay 10, 2026 10:02 amTwo separate electronic voting machines (EVMs) have been installed at all polling centres – one for the mayoral candidates and the other for councillor candidates.BJP, Congress seen in direct contest; Independents hopeful in pocketsMay 10, 2026 10:02 amMost residents waiting in queues said the main competition appeared to be between the two main national parties, though Independent candidates were also expected to perform strongly in some pockets.Cleanliness, roads, civic amenities emerge as key voter concernsMay 10, 2026 10:02 amAt Ward Number 2, senior citizen Santosh Chaudhary said, “MC polls are equally important as Assembly or Lok Sabha polls as we get to elect candidates whom we approach on a daily basis for better civic amenities. Cleanliness, pothole-free roads and garbage disposal are key issues for me while casting my vote.”