For the first time, the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor will be elected directly by the people. 13 out of 25 wards have been reserved for women. The counting of votes will take place on May 28.
Though there are seven candidates for the post of mayor and five for deputy mayor, it was virtually a triangular contest among Congress, BJP and CPI(M).
All top Congress leaders including Union ministers V B Singh and Anand Sharma, PCC chief Kaul Singh Thakur and Leader of the Opposition Vidya Stokes, Chief Minister P K Dhumal, state ministers and MLAs besides CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury campaigned for their candidates.
The SMC is controlled by the Congress since its inception in 1986. The party has swept five Municipal Corporation polls held so far.