Himachal Pradesh

The high-stake election was held on November 12, sealing the electoral fate of 412 candidates, including 24 women. A 75.60 per cent voter turnout was recorded, breaking the 2017 record of 75.57 per cent. The counting of votes began at 8 a.m. at 68 centres in 59 locations. The results will decide the political fate of BJP leader and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and his 10 ministerial colleagues, besides Congress Legislature Party Leader Mukesh Agnihotri and former state Congress chief Sukhwinder Sukhu.

This was revealed by an IANS analysis of ABP-CVoter Exit Poll with a sample size of 28,697 across 68 Assembly constituencoes in the state. According to the IANS analysis of exit poll numbers, the BJP looks likely to win between 33 and 41 seats in the 68-seat Assembly where the majority mark is 35. In contrast, the main opposition Congress appears likely to win between 24 and 32 seats.

While voting percentage increased in many constituencies, the average voter turnout figure was dampened by urban apathy of these important districts just as during the recently concluded Himachal Pradesh assembly poll, the urban assembly constituency of Shimla recorded the lowest at 62.53 per cent (less by 13 percentage point) as against the State average of 75.6 per cent.

In 2017 assembly elections, the poll percentage was 75.57. Maneesh Garg said the poll percentage through EVMs was 74.6 per cent. Besides, one per cent postal ballots was received, taking the overall turnout to 75.6 per cent till now and nearly two per cent postal ballots are yet to be received.

Tashigang, a village some 34 km from Kaza, is the highest settlement in the Spiti Valley close to the India-Tibet border. The village had 52 voters, most of them reached the polling station donning traditional attire. "I am participating in the election every year to keep the democracy alive," 78-year-old Sonam Dolma told the media.

The village is located in Bharmour Assembly, where even the polling party has to trek 14-km arduous journey to reach the polling booth, chief electoral officer Maneesh Garg said. At thepolling booth, 26 people are eligible to cast their votes situated in Sechu panchayat of the Pangi tribal area. The Election Department has set up 7,881 polling stations for the polls to 68-member Assembly.

Women turned out in strength in rural areas despite cold climatic conditions in the morning, said poll officials. Only 4 per cent voting was recorded in first hour of polling. There were minor hiccups as electronic voting machines developed snags at some places.

"Despite the cold weather and minor hiccups at polling stations at some places, there was no report of any delay in starting the poll process," an electoral officer told IANS. Out of 412 candidates in the fray, 24 are women and 388 men. A total of 55,92,828 voters will elect their representatives. Of them, 193,106 are first-time voters in the age of 18-19 years.

Since long the cap with maroon band in front reflects the BJP ideology and the green band is synonymous with the Congress. The former is the trademark of two-time Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and the latter of six-time Congress Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

As per official record, Shyam Saran Negi had also participated in the 1951-52 general elections, the country's first. "I have never missed an opportunity to cast my vote since India got its Independence in 1947 and I am happy to vote this time too," Negi said in Kalpa, some 275 km from the state capital, after exercising his franchise.