Despite bad weather conditions in the State and drizzle in some Assembly constituencies of Mandi parliamentary constituency, people came out gradually to vote and over all polling percentage were recorded at around 52 per cent.
In all, people boycotted elections at three polling stations under Kullu, lahaul and Spiti and Chamba districts in support of their local demands including construction of bridge over a river and basic infrastructure like school and community centre. People in these three polling stations were agitated and shouted slogans against the State Government demanding basic infrastructure in their Panchayats and village, after which they boycotted the elections.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Narinder Chouhan said that till 5 pm according to the reports received based on SMS and other election monitoring system, polling was approximately 52 percent with no untoward incidents from any areas. According to reports received till 5pm, Seraj Assembly constituency from where BJP candidate Jai Ram Thakur is four time MlA recorded highest voting percentage followed by Bharmour Assembly constituency with 59.29 percent voting.
The polling however had sluggish start by 10 am as lahaul and Spiti registered 19.91 percent followed by Seraj and Jogindernagar with 18.62 percent and 16.01 percent respectively. The voters turn out was 13.79 percent approximately by 10 am in all 16 constituencies where bye-poll was conducted except the disaster hit district of Kinnaur. Chauhan said that four candidates were in fray and there were 10, 72, 725 voters of five districts including Bharmour of district Chamba, lahaul and Spiti, Kullu, Mandi and Rampur assembly segment of district Shimla.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh cast his vote at Padam Singh Memorial Government School, Rampur Bushehar polling station along-with family members which recorded around 56.22 percent voting.Maximum percentage of polling picked up by afternoon and approximately 27.23 percentage of polling was recorded between 10am to 12 noon, with 39.82 percent polling in lahaul-Spiti, in Seraj (36.66 percent) followed by Joginder Nagar (32.47 percent) and Rampur (32.10 percent). By noon, the lowest voter turnout was in Kullu district with 17. 82 percent approximately.
Till 2pm the total polling percentage was 38.68 percent, the highest again was registered at lahaul-Spiti (50.20 percent) followed by Seraj (49.29 percent) and Rampur registering (44.68 percent). The polling gradually picked up later and as per reports, the voting trend by 4pm showed that Nachan Assembly constituency registered 81.04 percent poll followed by Seraj, 55.83 percent and Balh Assembly constituency where 52.63 percent polling was recorded.
At the end, the highest by 5pm polling percentage of 66 percent was reported from Seraj assembly constituency whereas Kullu assembly segment registered lowest polling percentage of 41 percent.
Counting of votes will be held on June 30 after voting in 118 polling booths of Kinnaur district, where voting will be held on June 27. Results will be announced on June 30, itself.In 2009 parliamentary election, Mandi parliamentary constituency recorded 61.42 percent voting when now Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was contesting the election and State had BJP Government in power.
After polling, BJP candidate Jai Ram Thakur thanked the people for coming out in large number to vote and hoped that with the enormous support he got from the people, he will be winning the elections. “People have got tired from this corrupt Government and the result will determine the future of the Congress Government at the Centre and State,” said Thakur.Mandi parliamentary seat had fallen vacant after Virbhadra Singh was sworn in as Chief Minister of the State for record sixth time.
Congress faces the challenge of retaining the seat which will be an indicator of the popularity of the sixth months old State Government.