Una recorded highest polling of 75.88 percent

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has recorded total polling of around 71 percent. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Devesh Kumar said that elections for four Parliamentary Constituencies were held in a free and fair manner in the state.

After slow start in the morning the pace picked up slowly by noon and more as the day progressed. People from all walks of life participated in great numbers in the poll process to make the greatest festival of democracy a success.

The poll percentage in the districts was recorded as 68.63 percent in Shimla, 75.80 percent in Solan, 74.72 percent in Sirmour, 73.06 percent in Mandi, 75.06 percent in Kullu, 71.04 percent in Kinnaur, 61.79 percent in Lahaul & Spiti, 71.42 percent in Hamirpur, 73.94 percent in Bilaspur, 75.88 percent in Una, 70.50 percent in Kangra and 68.87 percent in Chamba.

Highest polling was registered in Una district followed by Solan and Sirmour and the lowest in Lahaul & Spiti.

The First voter of Independent India Shyam Saran Negi aged 102 years made sure to cast his vote for 32nd time and 17th time for Lok Sabha elections. He was given a red carpet welcome by the administration for his encouraging spirit to contribute towards making of democracy. He reached his Booth set up at Government Primary School, Kalpa at around 11 a.m. falling under Mandi Parliamentary constituency and was accorded a warm welcome besides he was also honored with a shawl and a cap.

Devesh Kumar informed that voting was held at Tashigang, the highest polling station of the Country situated at a height of 15,256 feet, where voters turned up in their traditional attire to cast their vote and also danced to the tune of traditional music.

He said that despite challenges like reaching out to polling stations such as remotest Bara-Bhangal, bad weather and tough geographical conditions in the tribal areas as Chask-Bhatori and Thandal of Pangi in Kangra PC, Shakti polling station at Banjar in Mandi PC, where polling party had to travel 20 kilometers on foot to reach out the polling station and another polling station Pandar in Dodra Kwar area in Shimla PC, where the polling party had to travel around six kilometers through tough terrain, the Election department left no stone unturned to uphold ECI’s motto of ‘no voter to be left behind’