E-Paper
Himachal Pradesh records 17.98% voter turnout by 11am: EC
Peaceful polling underway across state as CM’s home district of Mandi sees highest turnout of 21.92% in initial hours
Himachal Pradesh, where the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are locked in an aggressive direct fight, recorded a voter turnout of 17.98% in the first three hours till 11am on Saturday, the Election Commission said.
Also read: Himachal Pradesh assembly election LIVE: Voting on in full swing
Voting commenced on a slow note and gradually picked up pace in a state where the BJP is eyeing history by repeating its government, while the Congress is urging voters to go by the tradition of voting out the incumbent government.
The voting started on a slow note with only 5% polling recorded in the first hour.
Till 11am, the highest polling of 21.92% was recorded in Mandi, the home district of chief minister Jairam Thakur.
Sirmaur district recorded 21.66% polling, Solan 20.28% and Kinnaur 20%, according to the EC.
Lahaul and Spiti district recorded the lowest polling of 5% in the first three hours.
Top leaders among early voters
Chief minister Thakur, BJP president JP Nadda, Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh, Union minister Anurag Thakur, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, state leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, Rajya Sabha member Indu Gowami, and former Union minister Anand Sharma were among the prominent leaders to cast their vote in the morning.
There are 412 candidates in the fray and an estimated 55,92,828 voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the state. The BJP and the Congress are contesting all 68 assembly seats.
The Election Commission of India has set up 7,881 polling booths across the 68 assembly constituencies. Of the total, 981 booths have been declared critical and 901 vulnerable.
Sixty-seven companies of paramilitary forces and more than 11,000-strong police force has been deployed to maintain law and order.
Kangra district has the highest 15 assembly seats and 13,34,542 voters. Lahaul-Spiti has the lowest number of 25,496 voters.
