Shimla, July 10,
The bye-elections held today in the Nalagarh, Hamirpur, and Dehra Assembly Constituencies (AC) of Himachal Pradesh witnessed a strong voter turnout, with Nalagarh leading at nearly 78 percent. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maneesh Garg expressed gratitude to the voters for their robust participation, crediting the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Himachal Election Department for their efforts in encouraging voter awareness and turnout.
By 6 PM, voter turnout in Dehra AC stood at approximately 65.42 percent, Hamirpur recorded 67.7 percent, and Nalagarh AC saw the highest turnout at nearly 78 percent. The CEO highlighted the significant contribution of various voter demographics, including first-time youth voters, elderly voters, women, and persons with disabilities (PwD).
Voting activity surged as the day progressed, starting at 15.99 percent by 11 AM, rising to 48.52 percent by 1 PM, and reaching 58.88 percent by 3 PM. The final voting percentages will be confirmed following the return and scrutiny of all polling documents.
A notable number of voters, 1523 aged above 85 years and 348 PwD voters, utilized the home voting facility. The state election department ensured comprehensive security measures, resulting in a peaceful election process without any untoward incidents.
Thirteen candidates, including two women, contested the bye-elections across the three constituencies, with five candidates each in Dehra and Nalagarh, and three in Hamirpur. The polling process was monitored in real-time, with live webcasting at 315 polling stations. Additionally, specialized polling stations managed by women, PwDs, and youth, along with model and green polling stations, were established.
Since the announcement of the bye-elections on June 10, 2024, and the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), enforcement agencies have made seizures worth about Rs. 3.4 crore in joint actions across the affected areas.
