Shimla, Apr 5
About 48 hrs before ballot, the campaigning for the four municipal corporation elections in Himachal Pradesh came to an end on Monday evening.
Spokesman of State Electon commission said that campaign ended at 1600 hrs
for the four (out of five MCs in the state) namely MC Dharamshala, MC
Mandi, MC Solan and MC Palampur, are going to polls on Wednesday. Last
four were declared MC
recently.
As many as 279 candidates are in the fray in 64 wards in the four
civic bodies. The highest number of candidates are in the age group
of 31-40 years (37 percent), followed
by 41-50 years (24 percent), and 21-30 years (20 percent). Only three
percent candidates are aged above 60 years.
Out of total 279 contestants 55 per cent are women, and around
two-thirds of the candidates represent various reserved categories.
The election commission said that one 3rd of contestents are matriculates, 23 percent are graduates, 22 percent have completed senior secondary education, 16 percent are post graduates and 6.5 percent have studies below matriculation.
As per Economic profile about 72 per cent of the candidates fall in the
above poverty line (APL) category, 4.3 per cent are below the poverty
line (BPL), nine per cent are non-tax payers and 14.3 per cent are tax
payers.
Contrary to most of the previous municipal elections in HP,
these elections are being held on party symbols.
Ruling BJP in the state, and the Indian National Congress (INC), sre the major
opposition parties and the main contenders.
Other parties included the Aam Admi Party, which has fielded its candidates
in 43 out of 64 wards, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has fielded only one candidate in a ward in Mandi.
State had two MCs of Shimla and Dharamshala until the state
cabinet decided in October last year to upgrade the municipal councils
of Palampur, Mandi and Solan into municipal corporations by including
adjoining areas.
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