Shimla: Trends coming from Himachal Pradesh showed the ruling Congress struggling with a lead only on 11 seats, whereas the BJP candidates are ahead in 16 assembly segments.
All results are likely to be declared by today afternoon.
There will be 781 counting tables at 42 counting centers in the state where 2,820 officers would be deployed, including 940 supervisors, 940 counting assistants and as many micro-observers. One polling station from each assembly constituency will be randomly selected for counting of VVPATs slips.
Live Update
08:00 am
Counting of votes began today morning at 8 am across 42 centres in Himachal Pradesh to decide the fate of candidates contesting 68 assembly constituencies in the Hill state. The process began with counting of postal ballots.
All results are likely to be declared by today afternoon. But, trends and leads are expected shortly.
07:15 am
The State Election Commission in Himachal Pradesh has made elaborate arrangement and the ruling Congress and challenger Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) workers are thronging counting centres as counting of votes for the 2017 Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections are set to start at 08:00 am.
Voting to elect the new body of the 68-member Himachal Pradesh Assembly were held in single phase on November 09. The voter turnout was 75.78%.
All Exit Polls have predicted that the Congress will lose and the BJP will come to power in the hill state.
However Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has dismissed the exit poll results for Himachal Pradesh Assembly Elections 2017, saying he could well read the mood of the people of the state and the actual results would be opposite to the exit poll projections.
"I am confident that 'mission repeat' would be achieved and tall claims made by the BJP would be proved wrong," he told reporters.
Singh said he visited every nook and corner of the state during the election campaign and has no doubt the Congress was in a strong position."The Congress would certainly form the government."
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