ITANAGAR, Dec 20: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) registered a resounding victory in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) elections, winning 14 of the 20 seats as results of the civic polls were declared on Saturday.

In Pasighat, the Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA) emerged victorious in the Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) elections, securing five of the eight wards, State Election Commission (SEC) secretary Taru Talo said. The opposition Congress failed to win a single seat in both the civic bodies.

Among other parties, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won three seats, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) secured two seats, while one Independent candidate emerged victorious. In the PMC, besides PPA’s five seats, the BJP won two wards and an Independent candidate claimed one seat.

Counting of votes began at 8 am across 45 counting centres in 27 districts. Elections for 16 wards of the IMC and eight wards of the PMC were held on December 15, with four BJP candidates in Itanagar having been elected unopposed earlier.

Women candidates made a strong showing, winning 10 seats in the 20-member IMC and four seats in the eight-member PMC. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used in both civic polls.

Talo said the simultaneous civic and panchayat elections were conducted peacefully with adequate security. Voter turnout stood at 51.39% in the IMC and 60.95% in the PMC, while panchayat polls recorded nearly 75% turnout statewide.

Meanwhile, counting of votes for panchayat bodies—186 Zilla Parishad Member (ZPM) seats and 1,947 Gram Panchayat Member (GPM) seats—is underway through ballot papers, with final results expected to take more time.