Himachal Pradesh on November 9 recorded 74% polling till 5 p.m., the Election Commission announced. It is the highest ever polling percentage in Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections, the poll panel added.
“Despite minor hiccups as Electronic Voting Machines developed snags at some places, there was no report of any delay in starting the poll process,” an electoral officer said.
There were reports of malfunctioning of VVAPTs too from several places.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal cast their votes at Rampur and Hamirpur respectively.
Shyam Sharan Negi (101), the first voter of India, cast his vote for the 15th time in Assembly polls at Kalpa in Kinnaur district.
Polling percentages at 3 p.m.
Shimla district recorded the highest polling of 36%.
The largest Kangra district recorded 22% voting, while Kinnaur witnessed 35% polling.
Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Mandi, Una, Solan and Sirmaur districts recorded 26%, 29%, 32%, 35% and 30% polling till noon while the Theog constituency in Shimla recorded 42% polling.
Polling has picked up since noon.
Voting till 11:00 a.m.
Voting began in the morning in 68 constituencies, where 337 candidates, including 62 MLAs, are in the fray.
Polling started on a dull note, with 13.72% people exercising their franchise in the first two hours.
A total of 50,25,941 people are eligible to cast their vote.
As many as 7,525 polling booths have been set up and 37,605 polling personnel deputed for poll duty.
Besides 17,850 personnel of police and Home Guards, 65 companies of para-military forces have been deployed
“There is no report of any delay in starting the poll process,” Chief Electoral Officer Pushpendra Rajput said.
Vote in record numbers: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asked electors in Himachal Pradesh to take part in the ''grand festival of democracy'' and vote in record numbers. “Today polling is taking place in ‘Devbhoomi’ Himachal Pradesh. I urge all voters to take part in the 'mahaparva' of democracy and vote in record numbers,” he tweeted. Read more
Read: Survival versus approval: the Himachal Pradesh elections
With PTI and IANS inputs