The oldest Municipal Corporation - Shimla — on Friday witnessed just about 58 per cent polling, around 7 per cent less than the previous polls held five years back.
Mild rainfall in the evening and largely cloudy sky throughout the day is been cited as one of the possible reasons for lower voter turn-out this time. Polling had been sluggish in the morning, but around 45 per cent votes had been polled by 2 pm. Sudden rains around 2.30 disturbed the poll process and the polling could not pick pace in the last phase.
The decline in poll percentage assumes significance as three major political parties Congress, BJP and CPI (M) had slogged hard in the run up to the town hall polls. While the Congress is banking on its mass leader Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh’s popularity, BJP this time seems riding high on hopes of Modi wave.
Around 91 thousand voters were registered in the polling lists for Shimla MC. But as per the official figures only 57.8 per cent voters exercised their franchise.
The Shanti Vihar and Nabha wards registered maximum polling with 66 per cent voters turning out to the polling booths, while the posh Benmore wards recorded minimum polling with just 47 per cent voters casting their votes.
The overall poll process remained peaceful, while a little disruption was recorded at Tarahall Booth, when a technical snag in Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) obstructed polling.
A total of 14 wards recorded 60 per cent or more polling while polling in two wards Benmor and Shangti could not touch even the half mark. While Benmor recorded lowest 47 per cent polling, Shangti recorded 48 per cent.
A total of 126 candidates, including 50 women, are in the fray. While the major political parties of the state Congress and BJP are not contesting the MC election on their party symbol, the Shimla MC elections are being taken as a pre-cursor of strength just six months before the state goes for assembly polls.
While the number of wards has been increased to 34 from 25 this time, the election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor would be done by the councillors this time, while in 2012, people had directly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The voters turn out had been 65 percent then.
The counting of votes will start on Saturday morning.