Goodwill and civility were on display at the hill municipality polls on Sunday and civic sense on Monday, a day after voting.

A total of 148 candidates contested this time for the 32 wards, the highest number of candidates in fray for a civic election at the 122-year-old municipality.

Although the Darjeeling civic polls were one of the most competitive contests in recent memory, there were no untoward incidents during the campaign or on polling day. Photographs of rival candidates showing respect to each other and even taking group photographs were widely circulated on polling day.

One of the parties also showed a sense of civic responsibility. Within 24 hours of voting, supporters of Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatrantrik Morcha (BGPM) went about town removing posters and festoons that the party had stuck in the 32 wards.

Amar Lama, the general secretary of the BGPM and the party's face for the post of chairman, thanked people for peaceful voting and urged his party cadres to remove the posters, festoons and hoardings in the town.

“I would like to congratulate the people of Darjeeling for peaceful polls. I urge our party cadres to remove all posters, banners, festoons and hoardings as we need to keep our town clean,” said Lama.

Posters of other parties are yet to be removed.

Ajoy’s health camp

Ajoy Edwards, president of the Hamro Party, who stood for the elections from ward 22, attended a health camp in Lebong on Monday. The Hamro Party has promised that if the party is voted to power in Darjeeling, it would organise a free annual health check-up for the residents.

Monday’s health camp was organised by Edwards Foundation, which had to close their health camp in the municipality area after the announcement of civic poll dates as Edwards’s presence was alleged to be a violation of model code of conduct.

Counting of votes will take place on March 2, but the model code of conduct will be in place till March 10.

Asked about Edward’s presence at Monday’s health camp when the code is still in force, Samir Sharma, a member of the Hamro Party, said its location is in the panchayat and not municipality area.