HP PRI poll turnout 80.40 per cent 

Shimla, Jan 22

People displayed high amount of confidence in the three tier Panchayati Raj Institutions elections held in three phases in the state on Jan 17, 19  and 21, as the cumulative poll turnout was recorded 80.40 per cent. Around 39.14 lac electors cast their votes held through ballot paper.
State Election Commission released the three phase PRIs poll figures here today.
The turnout was 82.10 percent among women, 78.70 percent among men, and 13.70 percent among others, the commission said. 
We know that despite year long spree of Covid pandemic this election was a challenged for administrations, candidates and voters however as many as 260 Covid patients and persons under isolation were among who participated in the polling scripting history.
This election considered at par with Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections as large number of voters cast their votes in every polling booth vidicates the public’s faith in the local self government and its importance in the hill state.
As many as 3,586 out of 3,615 panchayats in the state went to polls, with 69,408 candidates contesting for the posts of panchayat ward members, pradhans and up pradhans. For the 81 panchayat samitis in the state, 6,725 people contested across 1,644 wards and for the 12 zila parishads, 1,125 candidates contested in 239 wards.
In most of the panchayats, counting has been done and the results declared, while the
process was underway for panchayat samitis and zila parishads on Friday. 
The entire election process is scheduled to be completed by Saturday, according to election officials. Elections to panchayati raj institutions in Himachal are not held on party symbols.
Though the Elections were held on the non party symbols yet they would display the political mood depending upon victory of the affiliated party candidates.
PRIs play a major role in the state as 80 per cent of the state population lives in the rural and suburbs which play an important role in the state political system. There are much enthusiasm among the candidates and their supporters who are still making bee lines to have polling results for 239 ZP wards and 1644 block Samiti wards in the state.
After the results elections for ZP and BDC chairman and vice chairman marks another important development which is also likely to be happen on the political lines despite election was conducted on non party symbols.