Urban Local Bodies election records 69.16% turnout in Himachal Pradesh: SEC

Rathore added that Hamirpur district recorded the highest 78 per cent turnout, while Solan district recorded the lowest turnout at 64 per cent.

“The overall percentage can differ by one or two per cent, but not more than that. As of now, we cannot compare the overall voting percentage with the 2021 ULB elections, because last time the size and number of ULBs were less than the current voting. The results of the nagar panchayats and municipal councils have started coming, but the complete result will come till 8.30 pm, while the results of four municipal corporations of Solan, Mandi, Palampur and Dharamshala will be declared on May 31,” State Election Commissioner Anil Kumar Khachi told The Indian Express.

“The elections took place violence-free. Not a single complaint of violence was received. We received information about a BJP MLA entering a polling booth at Santokgarh in Una district, where the voting for the municipal council was going on. We were informed that moments later, the BJP MLA left the polling booth. The state election commission instructed the Una Deputy Commissioner-cum-Returning Officer to look into this matter,” Khachi said.

When contacted, BJP Una MLA Satpal Singh Satti said, “I entered the polling booth to see the voting process. All of a sudden, a man appeared and started communicating with me in a loud voice. In the meantime, my four or five supporters arrived there. Later, I was informed that the man was from the media. Moments later, I left the booth.

Nothing is wrong if an elected representative visits a place inside his Assembly constituency.”

According to the State Election Commission, the polling percentage was 16 per cent in 51 ULBs till 9 am, which rose to 33 per cent till 11 am and 49 per cent by 1 pm. At 3 pm, around 72 per cent of the polling was recorded.

Meanwhile, two municipal councils and six nagar panchayats in Shimla district recorded an overall voter turnout of 77.36 per cent till 3 pm.

According to the Shimla district administration, the Ramour Municipal Council recorded 69.48 per cent turnout and the Theog Municipal Council 80.37 per cent. Jubbal Nagar Panchayat recorded the highest turnout at 88.93 per cent, followed by Nerwa’s three wards at 89.03 per cent, Chirgaon at 80.42 per cent, Sunni at 81.36 per cent and Chopal at 77.39 per cent.

In Una district, the voter turnout crossed 77 per cent after 3 pm in two municipal councils and four nagar panchayats.

A total of 49 polling stations were set up for 48 wards, with 118 candidates in the fray and 28,292 eligible voters. Elections were held in the Santokhgarh Municipal Council, the Mehatpur Basdehra Municipal Council, and the nagar panchayats of Gagret, Amb, Tahliwal and Daulatpur Chowk.

Initial results

Independent candidate Vinay Chaudhary won Ward No. 4 of the Sujanpur Municipal Council, securing 235 votes and defeating BJP-backed Kamlesh Chaudhar, who polled 96 votes, and Independents Aman Chaudhary (34) and Sanjay Chaudhary (136).

In Ward No. 5, BJP-backed candidate Shivani Thakur emerged victorious, polling 230 votes and defeating Independent candidate Priya, who polled 224 votes and Congress-backed Anita Kumari (188).

In Ward No. 6, Independent candidate Promila Devi won by securing 158 votes. She defeated BJP-backed candidate Anita Mehra, who polled 130 votes, Congress-supported Bindu Sharma (79), and Independent Bindu Thakur (67).

In the Manali Municipal Council, BJP-supported candidates won five wards, while counting was underway in two wards.

In Bilaspur district’s Talai Nagar Panchayat, BJP-backed candidates secured victory in four out of seven wards, achieving a majority, while the counting of votes was still in progress.

70-year-old voter dies in Chamba

A 70-year-old man died reportedly of a heart attack while on his way to cast his vote for the Jansali Ward during the municipal council elections in Chamba on Sunday, police said.

He was rushed to Government Medical College in Chamba, where doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival, police said.

Police said the victim’s family requested to hand over the body without a post-mortem examination.