Once again recording a jump in polling, Himachal Pradesh on Thursday registered an impressive around 74 per cent polling. After witnessing a hectic poll campaign, the State remained peaceful on the polling day and the voters turned out in abundance to elect the future policy makers for the State.
Polling started on a surprisingly quick pace on Thursday and more than 54 percent voters had cast their polls by 2 pm, though the the polling process slowed down a little after 2 pm but as the voting continued at some polling stations till 6 pm, the final turn out of the voters came up to 74 percent in the evening.
Though the polling percentage could not cross the maximum record of the state, which was made in 2003 Assembly polls when Himachal Pradesh recorded 74.51 percent polling yet a gain of around 10 percent was recorded over the polling percentage recorded in 2014 Parliamentary Elections.
Talking of Assembly polls, in the last five Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh, the highest voter turnout was recorded in 2003 when 74.51 per cent of voters cast their vote. In 2012, the voter turnout stood at 73.51 per cent voters had cast votes, while the voter turn-out remained 71.61 per cent in 2007.
Before 2003 record voting, the vote percentage in 1998 Assembly polls had remained 71.23 per cent and 71.72 per cent in 1993.
The polling on all the 68 constituencies of Himachal Pradesh was held in a single go on Thursday. As per the Election Commission data, as many as 50,25,941 people in the state were eligible voters including around 19 lac women and 14 transgenders. In the Assembly Elections, a total of 337 candidates, including 19 women are in fray. 62 incumbent MlAs from Congress, BJP and others have been trying their luck again in the electoral contest.
The Chief Election Officer Pushpender Rajput said that the final data of polling had shown 74 per cent polling in the State. Rajput said that not even a single incident of violence or disruption in poll process was recorded throughout the State.
He said that a total of 11,283 ballot units, 9,809 control units and 11,050 VVPATs were used in the polling process and during the polling 33 ballot units, 29 control units and 79 VVPATs were replaced due to technical snags.
Kullu recorded maximum polling as the overall voter turn-out in the district was 81 per cent. The Kullu assembly segment in district recorded highest polling of 86 per cent, Banjar constituency in Kullu also recorded high percentage of polling witnessing 85 per cent polling.
Though the final data of polling was yet to be received, as per the data available till evening recorded polling in district as per the below percentage. Shimla district recorded 73 per cent polling, while Jubbal Kotkhai recorded maximum polling in the district with 81 percent, Rampur 74 per cent, Chopal 73 per cent, Shimla Rural 72 per cent, Theog, Kasumpti and Rohru 71 per cent, Shimla Urban was least with 65 per cent.
In Solan 73 per cent polling was recorded where Doon recorded 84 per cent polling, Nalagarh 82 per cent, Arki 71 per cent, Solan 67 per cent and Kasauli 60 per cent.
In Kullu district polling went up to 81 percent in Manali Assembly segment, it was 79 per cent, Kullu 86 per cent, Banjar 85per cent and Anni 76 per cent.
In Mandi district 73.58 per cent polling was recorded, where Seeraj 82 per cent, Balh 80 per cent, Nachan 78.37, Sundernagar 76.29 per cent, Mandi 76.7 per cent, Karsog 75.68 per cent, Jogindernagar 72.40 per cent, Sarkaghat 67.9 per cent, Darang 67.2 per cent Dharmpur 64.22 per cent.
In Hamirpur district the polling remained 69.5 per cent, in the district Sujanpur received maximum polling with 70.27 per cent, Hamirpur 69.11 per cent, Badsar 70.01 per cent and Naduan 72 per cent and Bhoranj 65.88 per cent. In Spiti valley about 80.43 per cent polling has been recorded with highest turnout of voters at Key polling station, where 100 per cent polling was recorded.