Polling for 1,276 panchayats in the second phase of Himachal Pradesh local body elections began at 7 am on Thursday. A total of 17,30,300 voters, including 8,55,597 women, 8,74,416 men and 17 third-gender voters, are eligible to cast their votes.
Voting for 1,293 panchayats in the first phase was held on Tuesday and recorded a turnout of 78.90 per cent. The third and final phase of polling for 1,274 panchayats will take place on May 30.
Counting of votes is being carried out immediately after polling in most categories. However, results for block samiti members, zila parishad members and four municipal corporations will be declared on May 31.
A total of 10,854 candidates have already been elected unopposed in the panchayat elections. The polls are being conducted with colour-coded ballot papers. White ballot papers are being used for ward members, yellow for up-pradhans, green for pradhans, pink for panchayat samiti members and blue for zila parishad members.
Polling for Ward No. 2 of Samwal panchayat in Chamba’s Tissa block, which was postponed due to alleged violations of rules by some officials, will now be carried out on May 30, according to State Election Commission Secretary Surjit Singh Rathore.
Around 50.89 lakh voters are eligible to participate in the three-phase elections being held to elect 31,182 public representatives. These include 3,754 pradhans, 3,754 up-pradhans, 21,654 ward members, 1,769 panchayat samiti members and 251 zila parishad members.
Also read: BJP claims big win in first phase of HP panchayat polls
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