Slow start to polling in Himachal Pradesh byelections

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Polling began on a slow note in the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency and Arki, Fatehpur and Jubbal-Kokhai assembly segments where byelections are being held with less than 10% voters turning up to exercise their franchise on Saturday morning.

Also read: Bypolls 2021: Bengal turnout crosses 34%; big battles for BJP, Congress

Mandi recorded 6% polling up to 10am, while Arki and Fatehpur assembly segments reported 8% polling and Jubbal-Kotkhai recorded 7% voter turnout, said chief electoral officer C Paulrasu. Voting began at 8am will end at 6pm.

He said the polling was going on smoothly and no complaint of EVM malfunction had been received so far. “Polling is likely to gather pace as the day progresses,” he said.

15.36 lakh voters to decide fate of 18 candidates

More than 15.36 lakh voters in the four constituencies will decide the fate of 18 candidates in the fray.

Mandi parliamentary seat fell vacant after the death of incumbent MP Ram Swaroop Sharma in April. The three assembly segments also fell vacant due to the death of sitting legislators, including former six-time chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who represented Arki constituency.

Of the 15,36,280 voters, 7,73,940 are men and 7,62,340 women.

A total of 2,774 polling booths have been set up in Mandi parliamentary constituency that has 12,86,382 electors of whom 6,38,756 are women and 6,47,619 men.

Polling is being held across 2,365 booths in 17 assembly segments of six districts, including Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba and Shimla, that comprise Mandi parliamentary seat.

Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur along with his family after exercising the franchise at polling booth number 36 at Government Senior Secondary School at Bharari in Murhag gram panchayat of Seraj in Mandi district on Saturday. (HT Photo)
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur along with his family after exercising the franchise at polling booth number 36 at Government Senior Secondary School at Bharari in Murhag gram panchayat of Seraj in Mandi district on Saturday. (HT Photo)

The main contest in Mandi is between Pratibha Singh of the Congress, who is a two-time former MP, and the BJP’s Brigadier Khushal Thakur, who is making his electoral debut. The election is significant being the home district of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Triangular contests in Jubbal-Kotkhai, Fatehpur

Among the three assembly segments, Arki has the highest number of 91,884 voters, comprising 45,401 women and 46,483 men. A total of 132 booths have been setup in Arki segment. BJP’s Rattan Pal is slugging it out against Sanjay Awasthi of Congress in the constituency.

Jubbal-Kotkhai is headed for a triangular contest between Rohit Thakur of the Congress, Neelam Saraik of the BJP and independent candidate Chetan Bragta. The Jubbal-Kotkhai seat fell vacant following the death of MLA Narinder Singh Bragta. A total of 70,792 voters will exercise their franchise across 135 polling booths. As many as 35,166 voters are men and 35,626 women.

In Fatehpur also the contest is triangular. The Congress has fielded Bhawani Singh Pathania, the son of former minister Sujan Singh Pathania, whose death necessitated the byelection. The BJP has made Baldev Thakur its nominee, while former MP Rajan Sushant is contesting as an independent.

Among the 87,222 electors in Fatehpur, 44,665 are men and 42,528 women. A total of 141 polling booths have been set up in Fatehpur, comprising 111 main and 30 auxiliary booths.

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