55 to 60 per cent polling in HP till 1600 hrs

Moderate polling of 55 to 60 per cent was reported from 65 assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh till 1600 hrs on Wednesday.

The polling which started on a dull note in the morning gained momentum as the day advanced and brisk polling was reported in the rural areas with women voters turning up in strength.

In Chamba district, polling picked up rather fast from 10 per cent till 1030 hrs to nearly 50 per cent by 1500 hrs.

Brisk voting was reported in Kangra, Hamirpur, Una, Mandi and Kullu districts in the afternoon and more than 55 per cent voters had cast their votes by 1600 hrs.

About 62 per cent polling was reported from Bamsan in Hamirpur from where Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal is seeking re-election while 66 per cent voters had cast their votes in Rohroo constituency where former Chief Minister V B Singh is in the fray.

Polling was 61 per cent in Kumarsein constituency where HPCC president Vidya Stokes is locked in a four cornered contest while Jubbal and Kotkhai constituency where state horticulture minister Narinder Bragata is pitted against Rohit Thakur, grandson of former Chief Minister Ram Lal recorded highest polling of 69 per cent.

The twin constituencies of Shimla and Kusumpti with highest number of educated voters recorded lowest polling of 45 and 44 per cent respectively, just one hour before the close of polling.

In Una district, 55 to 60 per cent polling was reported with highest of 64 per cent in Chintpurni, 60 per cent in Gagret, 57 per cent in Santokhgarh, 52 per cent in Una and 50 per cent in Kutlehar.

Ambota polling booth in Amb recorded 77 per cent polling by 1400 hrs while 85 per cent polling was reported in Jhundhol polling booth in Una constituency by 1300 hrs.

Nurpur, Jwali, Guler, Paonta, Balh, Chachiot and Nalagarh constituencies also reported more than 60 per cent polling by 1600 hrs.

No untoward incident was reported from any part of the state and barring complaints of deletion of names from voter list, polling passed off peacefully.