Himachal Pradesh records 71 pc voting in Lok Sabha polls

Himachal Pradesh registered a voter turnout of 71 per cent in the four Lok Sabha seats in the state, a poll official said on Sunday.

In the state, Mandi recorded the highest turnout of 73 per cent, followed by Hamirpur (72), Shimla (71) and Kangra 68 per cent.

Giving details, a state election office spokesperson said that in assembly constituencies falling under the Mandi parliamentary constituency, about 73 per cent voting was recorded in Anni, 75 per cent in Balh, Banjar (70), Bharmour (62), Drang (74), Jogindernagar (68), Karsog (72), Kinnaur (70), Kullu (71), Lahaul-Spiti (75), Manali (72), Mandi (75), Nachan (77), Rampur (74), Sarkaghat (67), Seraj (75) and 76 per cent in Sundernagar.

In the Hamirpur parliamentary seat, 70 per cent voting took place in Barsar, Bhoranj (69), Bilaspur (71), Chintpurni (71), Dehra (63), Dharampur (63), Gagret (73), Ghumarwin (72), Hamirpur (68), Haroli (70), Jaswan-Paragpur (68), Jhanduta (72), Kutlehar (76), Nadaun (72), Naina Devi (73), Sujanpur (74) and 74 per cent in Una.

In the assembly constituencies falling under the Shimla Lok Sabha seat, Arki recorded 68 per cent voting, Chopal (67), Doon (74), Jubbal-Kotkhai (75), Kasauli (75), Kasumpti (61), Nahan (78), Nalagarh (71), Pachhad (72), Paonta Sahib (74), Rohru (74), Shillai (71), Shimla (63), Shimla-Rural (65), Solan (69), Renuka (69) and Theog 66 per cent polling.

In the Kangra parliamentary seat, Baijnath registered 62 per cent voting, Bhatiyat (65), Chamba (67), Churah (70), Dalhousie (66), Dharamsala (70), Fatehpur (67), Indora (69), Jaisinghpur (62), Jawalamukhi (69), Jawali (65), Kangra (70), Nagarota (71), Nurpur (67), Palampur (69), Shahpur (68) and 67 per cent in Sulh.

For the bye-elections in six assembly seats, 76 per cent voting was recorded in Kutlehar, 75 per cent in Lahaul-Spiti, 73 in Gagret, 74 in Sujanpur, 70 in Dharamsala and 69 per cent in Barsar.

The spokesperson said that 41,924 postal ballots have been received which include 29,879 of those above 85 years; 10,634 persons with disabilities who voted from their homes; and 1,411 of those deployed on essential services.

The counting of votes is scheduled to be held on June 4.