Chandigarh, Dec 8 (IANS): The Punjab State Election Commission on Sunday announced elections to five Municipal Corporations and 41 Municipal Councils, besides Nagar Panchayats on December 21.

The counting of votes will take place on the same day.

The filing of nominations will begin from Monday, State Election Commissioner Raj Kamal Chaudhuri told the media here.

The last date for filing nominations was December 12, while scrutiny of nominations will be held on December 13 and the date of withdrawal of nomination was December 14.

Out of the 37,32,636 registered voters, 19,55,888 are men, 17,76,544 are women and 204 others.

The polling of votes would be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the use of EVMs. The polled votes will be counted at the polling station itself.

The polling, wherever required, would be held for 381 wards of the Municipal Corporations and 598 wards of the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats.

He said security arrangements will be ensured by the Police Department. There are 1,609 polling locations having 3,809 polling booths. A total of 344 polling locations have been identified as hypersensitive and 665 sensitive.

Nearly 21,500 police and Home Guard personnel would be deployed.

Chaudhuri said three personnel would be deployed for a single polling station and four for a double polling station. Similarly, five personnel would be deployed for a triple polling station and six personnel for a Quad Polling station.

In case of need, the Commissioners of Police and Senior Superintendents of Police have been authorised to enhance the security deployment at polling locations and stations.

About 23,000 election personnel would be deputed on election duty. Twenty-five IAS and PCS officers would be appointed as general observers in the districts to oversee the smooth and peaceful conduct of the polls.