Himachal Pradesh Sets New Poll Record, 74.6% Turn up to Vote
The votes will be counted on 18 December.
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12-Day High-Voltage Campaign
The ruling Congress, led by current Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and the BJP led by former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, are contesting all 68 seats while the BSP is contesting 42 seats, followed by the CPI(M), which is contesting 14, Swabhiman Party and Lok Gathbandhan Party six each, and the CPI contesting three seats.
Corruption was the main focus of the BJP campaign with the party training its guns at Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, while the Congress hit out at the BJP over the issue of GST and demonetisation.
Both Singh and Dhumal have shifted their constituencies and are contesting from Arki and Sujanpur, respectively.
At present, the Congress and the BJP have 35 and 28 MLAs respectively in the 68-member House, besides four independents. One seat is vacant.
(With inputs from PTI)
Polling Day in 68 Constituencies
The hill state of Himachal Pradesh goes to polls tomorrow, 9 November, with traditional rivals – the Congress and the BJP – locking horns in all 68 constituencies where 338 candidates, including 62 MLAs, are in the fray.
The polling will begin at 8:00 am and go on till 5:00 pm. A total of 50,25,941 voters are eligible to cast their vote.
As many as 7,525 polling booths have been set up in the state and 37,605 polling personnel have been deputed for poll duty, Chief Electoral Officer Pushpender Rajput said.
Web-casting will be used in 2,307 polling stations in the state for live monitoring of polling activities by the EC. EVMs and VVPAT will also be used.
The counting of votes will take place on 18 December.
Polling to Begin at 8 am, Security at Booths Tightened
The polling in Himachal Pradesh for the State Assembly elections will begin at 8 am, reported ANI.
Over 11,500 Himachal Pradesh police jawans, 6400 Home guards, and 65 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed across the state for the assembly election.
Polling Begins
Polling begins in the 68 constituencies of Himachal Pradesh, as people queue up to cast their votes in the assembly elections.
Polling Yet to Begin in Kinnaur's Station Number 55
Polling is yet to begin in station number 55 at Kinnaur, Reckong Peo due to a technical glitch. The polling booth is managed solely by women.
People Don't Want Congress Rule Anymore: Anurag Thakur
PM Modi Urges Himachal to Vote
As Himachal Pradesh gears up to cast their vote, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to urge the people of the state to turn out in large numbers for the elections.
Watch: Key Stats Of Himachal Pradesh Assembly Polls
Expect to win 60+Seats: Prem Kumar Dhumal
Speaking to ANI, BJP’s candidate and former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the party expects to win over 60 seats in the ongoing elections.
CM Virbhadra Singh Casts His Vote
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has cast his vote in the state assembly elections. Slamming the BJP for their campaigning tactics, Singh told ANI that the state was not a servant of the Centre.
13.72% Voting Recorded in First Two Hours
The election witnessed a voter turnout of 13.72 percent in the first two hours of polling.
CM Virbhadra Singh and BJP candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal were among the people who have cast their votes so far.
Union Minister JP Nadda Casts Vote
Union Health Minister JP Nadda cast his vote at a polling booth in Bilaspur.
Glitchy VVPATS Reported
A polling station in Bilaspur has reported technical glitches in the VVPATs, News X reported.
28.6% Polling Recorded
Voter turnout as of 12 noon stood at 28.6 percent.
54.09% Polling Recorded
54.09 percent of voters had cast their votes as of 2:00 pm.
64.8% Voter Turnout
As of 4:00 pm, 64.8 percent voter turnout was recorded.
In the last five Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, the highest voter turnout was recorded in 2003 when 74.51 percent of voters cast their vote.
In 2012, the voter turnout stood at 73.51 percent, in 2007 it stood at 71.61 percent, in 1998 at 71.23 percent and in 1993 at 71.72 percent.
This year, the State Election Commission expected more than 85 percent of voters to cast their votes in the state Assembly elections.
India's Oldest Voter Casts His Vote
India’s oldest voter, 100-year-old Shyam Saran Negi cast his vote in Kinnaur. In an exclusive interview with The Quint, Negi revealed that he would vote for the BJP.
He also told The Quint about the day he scripted history by casting the first vote in Independent India. "It was October of 1951. I was a teacher and had work. So I woke up and reached the polling booth at 6 am. No one was there and then someone came at 6:30. I cast my vote in the box," he says with pride.
Also Read: At 100, India’s First Voter Says Himachal Polls May Be His Last
Polling Comes To a Close
Polling in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections ended at 5:00 pm.
74% Polling Recorded Till 5:00 pm
Voter turnout in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections stood at 74 percent at 5:00 pm, the Election Commission said. However, the number is expected to go up as 500 polling stations still had people waiting in queues to cast their votes at that time.
Himachal Pradesh Records Highest Voter Turnout
The 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections saw the highest-ever voter turnout in the state. Over 74 percent of voters turned up to cast their votes, the EC said.
District-Wise Voter Turnout
Sirmaur saw the highest voter turnout, with 82 percent casting their votes, while Kangra saw the lowest turnout at 72 percent.
76.4% Voters Cast Their Vote
A total of 74.6 percent of voters cast their votes in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, the Election Commission said on Thursday, 9 November. It was the highest-ever voter turnout in the state.
As many as 74.6 percent voters in Himachal Pradesh showed up to the polling booth on 9 November to vote 68 representatives to the state Assembly. The results will be declared on 18 December. A total of 338 candidates, including 19 women, are in the fray for the electoral battle for the Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh, where the BJP is determined to take back power.
As many as 7,525 booths were set up for the single-phase polls.
Stay tuned for all the live updates.
- Results will be declared on 18 December
- The state recorded the highest-ever turnout, with 74.6 percent practicing their franchise
- Polling for the Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections closed at 5:00 pm on 9 November
- Over 11,500 police jawans, 6,400 home guards, and 65 companies of paramilitary forces were deployed for the polls
- Earlier, PM Narendra Modi took to Twitter to urge Himachal voters to head to the polling booths
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