More than 77 per cent voting was recorded in the first phase of the Himachal Pradesh panchayat polls on Tuesday. Women voters turned out in higher numbers than men across all districts, officials said.
Polling for 1,293 panchayats began at 7 am and ended peacefully at 3 pm. The polling took place amid a yellow alert for heatwave conditions in Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Kangra, Solan and Sirmaur districts.
As per State Election Commission data, 77.20 per cent of voters had cast their votes till 3 pm.
The highest turnout was recorded in Kullu district at 83.95 per cent, followed by Solan at 78.59 per cent, Una at 78.75 per cent, Sirmaur at 80.11 per cent, Shimla at 78.87 per cent, Mandi at 73.78 per cent, Bilaspur at 76.45 per cent, Kangra at 74.06 per cent, Hamirpur at 69.93 per cent, Lahaul and Spiti at 69.40 per cent, Chamba at 76.71 per cent, and Kinnaur at 69.21 per cent.
In one ward in Mandi district, polling for a panchayat samiti seat was cancelled as the name of a candidate was missing from the ballot paper.
State Chief Election Commissioner Anil Khachi said polling was peaceful across the state. He said voting will be held again in one ward of Mandi district where the ballot error was found.
Among the voters was 113-year-old Manglu Devi. She came with her family and cast her vote at a pink booth in Seu gram panchayat in Bilaspur district.
She was among the oldest voters in this election.
District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Bilaspur, Rahul Kumar, praised her participation. He said her presence in the “festival of democracy” will inspire other voters.
Over 16.5 lakh voters are eligible to vote in the first phase. Over 9,000 candidates are contesting for posts of gram panchayat members, pradhans, up-pradhans, panchayat samiti members and zila parishad members.
The elections are being conducted using colour-coded ballot papers. White is for ward members, yellow for up-pradhans, green for pradhans, pink for panchayat samiti members, and blue for zila parishad members.
The State Election Commission said results for gram panchayat members, pradhans and up-pradhans will be declared later the same day. Results for panchayat samiti and zila parishad seats will be announced on May 31.
Around 50.89 lakh voters are taking part in the three-phase elections. They will choose 31,182 representatives, including 3,754 pradhans, 3,754 up-pradhans, 21,654 ward members, 1,769 panchayat samiti members and 251 zila parishad members.
A total of 10,854 candidates have already been elected unopposed. Voting for the second and third phases will be held on May 28 and May 30.
Also read: Congress made mockery of appointments, says BJP
Follow us
