About 64 per cent voter turnout was registered in Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat where polling remained peaceful on Sunday.

In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Chandigarh had witnessed poll percentage of 73.71.

“The voting began sluggishly in Chandigarh on Sunday morning but picked up as the day wore on, recording 63.57 per cent voter turnout until 5 pm,” said an election officer.

Colonies and southern sectors witnessed long queues but voting was sluggish in the city’s north sectors.

Polling has remained largely smooth except glitches at a few polling stations. The glitches and subsequent replacement of VVPATs caused at least 30 minutes delay at two polling booths in Sector 52 and 45.

The Bharatiya Janta Party’s candidate and outgoing MP Kirron Kher is pitted against Congress’ former MP Pawan Kumar Bansal, Aam Aadmi Party’s nominee Harmohan Dhawan, a former Union Minister in a tough triangular poll battle in Chandigarh.

A total of 36 candidates are vying for Chandigarh’s lone parliamentary seat.

597 booths at 191 polling stations were set up in Chandigarh, which is a joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. Each polling booth in the city had three electronic voting machines (EVMs) to accommodate 36 candidates

As many as 6.46 lakh electors were eligible to vote in the city.

Around 2,900 police personnel were deployed to ensure smooth conduct of polling in the city. As a unique initiative, three polling booths, MCM College, Sector 36, New Public School Sector 18 and Carmel Convent School Sector 9, were manned by all women staff this time.

A strong room has been created in CCET Sector 26 here. Votes will be counted on May 23.

In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had lost to Kirron Kher by nearly 70,000 votes. In the past, Bansal has represented the Chandigarh constituency in Lok Sabha in the years 1991, 1999, 2004 and 2009.