Shimla Municipal Corporation polls: Around 58 percent polling recorded in elections

Shimla: A moderate polling of 57.80 percent was recorded in the 34-ward Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) elections held on Friday. Polling started on a moderate rate and picked up as the day advanced but slowed down in the last leg due to heavy rains. [caption id=“attachment_3706181” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] The Nabha ward, reserve for Scheduled Caste women, and Shanti Bihar ward recorded heaviest polling at 66 percent, while Benmur ward, reserved for women, recorded lowest polling at 47 percent. Over 52,000 out of the total 91,000 electorate exercised their franchise, election officials said. The polling started at 8 am and 14 percent votes were cast by 10 am. Polling percentage went up to 33 percent in the afternoon. It further increased to 47 percent at 2 pm and the overall polling at the end stood at 57.8 percent. 65 percent polling was recorded in Totu ward followed by Kaithu (63 percent), Upper Dhalli (62 percent), among others. The polling was peaceful and barring an incident of some snag in voting machine in Tara Hall booth. No other incident was reported from any other booth. There was a complaint of snag in the electronic voting machine (EVM) in Kaithu ward, but was found incorrect by officials. “The complaints of fault in the machine were found to be wrong,” Shimla Deputy Commissioner Rohan Chand Thakur, who is also the returning officer for the polls, said. The counting of votes would be taken up tomorrow and two centres have been set up for 34 wards. 50 percent (17) seats have been reserved for women including three for SC women and three seats are reserved for SC men. The number of wards was increased from 25 in 2012 polls to 34 this time and the post of Mayor, who would elected by indirect votes has been reserved for SC women. The elections were not held on party symbols but all the three major contenders the Congress, BJP and CPM declared the list of party-backed candidates. Top leaders of Congress and the BJP, including the chief minister Virbhadra Singh, Union minister JP Nadda and former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, joined the campaign and held road shows.