Zirakpur, May 27 -- Braving heat, long queues, and civic frustrations, residents of Zirakpur turned out in steady numbers to vote on Tuesday. Polling centers saw a heavy morning rush as voters sought to avoid the day's scorching conditions.

However, the rush eased during the afternoon hours. In the Zirakpur municipal council, 124 candidates are contesting from 31 wards, with 1,36,425 voters expected to vote at 128 polling booths.

At the Government Primary School in Bhabat, one of the key polling stations, serpentine queues stretching up to 100-150 metres have been seen outside the main gate since early morning. Voters said the rush intensified in the initial hours as many preferred to vote before the heat became unbearable.

"There was ...