Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2017: Polling begins on a dull note, only 13.72% voters exercise franchise in two hours

Shimla: Polling started on a dull note for 68 Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday with 13.72 per cent voters exercising their franchise in the first two hours. The polling started across the state at 8 am and at several places in Chamba and tribal areas five to ten percent polling was recorded. Shimla district recorded 18 percent polling, Hamirpur 17 percent, Chamba 12 percent, Kangra 14 percent, Mandi 16 percent, Una, Hamirpur and Bilaspur 15 to 20 percent and Solan and Sirmaur 18 to 20 percent. Reports of fault in VVPAT machines were received in Sirmaur district while polling started late by 15-20 minutes in some polling booths. [caption id=“attachment_4201089” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Voters in a queue show their voter identity card at a polling booth in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh on Thursday. PTI[/caption] Kusumpti constituency in Shimla recorded 22 percent polling, Shimla(rural) 20 percent, Theog 19 percent, Rampur 18 percent and Shimla (Urban) and Rohroo 16 percent. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh exercised his franchise at Rampur while former chief minister PK Dhumal cast his vote at Samirpur along with family members. A total of 50,25,941 voters are eligible to cast their vote. As many as 7,525 polling booths have been set up in the state and 37,605 polling personnel have been deputed for poll duty. Besides 17,850 personnel of police, Home Guards and 65 companies of central paramilitary force have been deployed. Chief Minister Singh, 10 ministers, eight Chief Parliamentary secretaries, Deputy Speaker Jagat Singh Negi, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and over a dozen former ministers are among those contesting the polls. The ruling Congress led by the chief minister and the BJP led by former chief minister Dhumal are contesting all 68 seats while the BSP is contesting 42 seats, followed by the CPM (14), Swabhiman Party and Lok Gathbandhan Party (six each) and the CPI (3). There is a straight contest only in one constituency (Jhanduta) while the maximum number of 12 candidates is in fray in Dharamsala. Click here to follow LIVE updates on Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2017