Counting of votes for assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh begins

The counting of votes for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections started early morning at 8 am on 18 December 2017. The results will be announced today itself.

In total, 182 seats in Gujarat and 68 seats in Himachal Pradesh are up for elections. While in Gujarat, the polling was held in two phases on 9 and 14 December, Himachal Pradesh went to polls in a single phase on 9 November.

Counting of Votes in Gujarat: Key Highlights

• In Gujarat, the counting is taking place at 37 centres amidst tight security.

• Over 68 per cent polling was recorded in the two-phase elections.

• The total voter turnout this time saw a 2 per cent dip, as compared to the 2012 polls when 71 per cent polling was registered.

• In total, 1828 candidates would be battling it out for a total of 182 seats.

• The EVM polling data is being compared with VVPAT paper slips in one polling station of all 182 assembly constituencies.

• 33 control rooms have been set up and more than 30,000 personnel have been deployed to monitor the counting process.

• The key candidates include CM Vijay Rupani, Deputy CM Nitin Patel, senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil, and young leaders Alpesh Thakore and Jignesh Mevani.

• While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the ruling party, is seeking a sixth straight term, the Indian National Congress (INC) under its new leadership is aiming to stage a comeback after serving as the opposition for nearly two decades.

Counting of Votes in Himachal Pradesh: Key Highlights

• In Himachal Pradesh, the counting for all 68 assembly seats is being held at 42 centres.

• Around 2,820 officers including 940 micro-observers have been deployed for the purpose.

• The counting is being supervised by 68 returning officers, one in every constituency.

• Web-casting, videography and CCTVs have been deployed at all counting stations.

• The election department has made three-tier security arrangements at counting centres and no one is being allowed to carry mobile phones.

• The hill state witnessed a record voter turnout this year, with 75 per cent polling recorded to elect the state’s 13th assembly.

• The key candidates include CM Virbhadra Singh, opposition's CM candidate PK Dhumal, Rajinder Rana, son of CM Vikramaditya Singh and Pramod Sharma who is standing against Vikramaditya from Shimla rural seat on a BJP ticket.

The results of these elections are expected to have an effect on the 2019 parliamentary elections as well.

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