The voting for the 51 urban local bodies in Himachal Pradesh, including the four municipal corporations of Solan, Mandi, Palampur, and Dharamshala, remained peaceful.
As many as 72.42% polling was recorded across 25 municipal councils and 22 nagar panchayats, while 63.44% voting was recorded in municipal corporations.
Across the state, voter turnout stood at 16% by 9am, 33% by 11am, 49% by 1pm, and over 72% by 3 pm. The overall voting percentage of all 51 ULB registered was 69.16%.
Voting for 51 urban local bodies commenced at 7 am and concluded at 3 pm. It was held simultaneously in 64 wards in the four municipal corporations of Dharamshala, Solan, Mandi and Palampur, 229 wards in 25 municipal councils and 156 wards in 22 nagar panchayats in a single phase, with as many as 1,147 candidates in the fray for the 449 posts.
State chief election commissioner Anil Khachi said, “Polling remained completely peaceful with no reports of any kind of malfunction received from any part”.
According to the state election commission, out of a total of 3,62,025 registered voters, as many as 2,50,391 exercised their franchise.
Officials said no untoward incident was reported from any polling station during the entire electoral exercise.
The highest voter participation was recorded in Hamirpur district with a turnout of 78.89%. Shimla followed closely with 77.36%, while Una registered 77% polling. On the other hand, Solan district witnessed the lowest voter turnout at 64.20%.
Among individual urban local bodies, Naina Devi recorded the highest voter participation in the state with nearly 86% polling.
Following the conclusion of voting, the electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the four municipal corporations—Solan, Mandi, Palampur, and Dharamshala—have been shifted to strong rooms under tight security. The counting of votes for the four MCs is scheduled to take place on May 31. The elections to MCs are held on party symbols, while elections for urban local parties are not held on party symbols.
In Chamba town, 75-year-old Anjan Sharma passed away due to a heart attack while on his way to cast his vote.
Among MCs, Mandi records the highest polling percentage
The four MCs registered a lower combined turnout of 63.44%. Out of 1,31,369 registered voters in the corporation areas, only 83,342 voters cast their votes.
Among MCs, Mandi recorded the highest polling percentage at 68.78%, while Kangra MC registered 63.72% turnout. Solan MC witnessed the lowest participation among the corporations at 58.32%.
In the 17 wards of the Dharamshala MC, 22,083 voters cast their votes out of a total electorate of 36,800, taking the polling percentage to 60%.
The polling percentage among female voters remained slightly higher at 60.70%, compared to 59.33% among male voters.
The voter turnout in Palampur municipal corporation was recorded at 68.97%, with 21,503 voters casting their votes out of a total electorate of 31,177. The polling percentage among female voters stood at 71.35%.
Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Shanta Kumar (92), who cast his vote in the Palampur Municipal Corporation election, said he was happy to get an opportunity to vote at his age. “People say leaders are corrupt, but I don’t believe it. The day people start electing honest and hard-working leaders and defeat corrupt candidates, corruption would end automatically,” Shanta Kumar said
In Solan MC, 58.32% voting percentage was registered.
The polling percentage among male voters was recorded at 58.05%, which is slightly lower than 58.59% recorded among female voters.
