Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022: 55.65 per cent voting till 3 pm

16:57 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

98.08% voter turnout recorded in in the world's highest polling station booth

16:45 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

55.65 per cent voting till 3 pm

Himachal Pradesh, where the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are locked in an aggressive fight, recorded a voter turnout of 55.65 per cent till 3 pm on Saturday, the Election Commission said.

Voting began at 8 am on a slow note but picked up as the day progressed and the sun warmed the winter chill. The assembly election is a crucial test for the BJP which is hoping to beat precedent and return to power while the Congress has urged voters to go by tradition of voting out the incumbent.

Only around five per cent polling was recorded in the first hour, while till 11 am, it was 19.98 per cent. It notched up to 37.19 percent by 1 pm and till 3 pm, the state recorded a 55.65 per cent turnout.

PTI

15:31 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Congress to have majority in Himachal, BJP won't succeed in poaching MLAs, says Anand Sharma

Congress leader Anand Sharma on Saturday said that the people of Himachal Pradesh were in a mood to change the government in the state by ruling out the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state assembly election.

Lashing out at the ruling BJP party, Sharma said, "There's a mood for change. Vast sections of society suffered especially Government employees, youth despondent because of unemployment, women and young people who'll serve after Agnipath."

When asked if there can be poaching of Congress MLAs, Sarma said, "We will have a strong majority, they (BJP) won't succeed."

Sharma cast his vote in Shimla's Longwood in the Assembly polls which are underway on Saturday.

ANI

15:15 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Jairam Thakur will continue to be CM face, says BJP chief Nadda

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday said that the current Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh would be the face of the new CM of the state if the party wins the assembly election.

While talking to ANI, he said, "We definitely are in a comfortable majority. The election has been contested under the leadership of Jairam Thakur and he will continue (to be the CM face)."

He also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as the latter did not participate in any campaign for the Himachal Pradesh assembly election and said that they (Congress) are careerist leaders.

ANI

14:49 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

As Himachal votes today, remembering India’s first voter Shyam Saran Negi

Himachal Pradesh is all set to vote and while a total number of 55, 92, 828 electors will decide the political fate of leaders from different parties, one voter will be dearly missed.

That man is none other than Shyam Saran Negi, independent India’s first voter. Negi passed away on 5 November this year at the age of 106. He died of natural causes at his home in Kinnaur district’s Kalpa.

Negi, who is known for not skipping a single election – be it general or state, voted till his last breath as he exercised his franchise days before the state elections (12 November) where he cast his vote through a postal ballot instead of attending a polling booth owing to ill health.

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14:26 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

We definitely are in comfortable majority, says JP Nadda

BJP national president JP Nadda when asked about Himacha Pradesh Election 2022 and CM face of the BJP, Nadda said, “We definitely are in comfortable majority. Jairam Thakur led the election campaign, and he will continue"

14:12 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

37.19 pc voting till 1 pm

Himachal Pradesh, where the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are locked in an aggressive direct fight, recorded a voter turnout of 37.19 per cent in the first five hours till 1 pm on Saturday, the Election Commission said.

The voting commenced on a tardy note and gradually picked up pace as the sun came up in the hill state where the BJP is eyeing history by repeating its government, while the Congress is urging voters to go by the tradition of voting out the incumbent government.

The voting started on a slow note with only around 5 per cent polling recorded in the first hour. Till 11 am, 19.98 per cent polling was recorded.

At 1 pm, the state recorded 37.19 per cent.

The highest polling of 41.89 percent was recorded in Sirmour district, followed by 41.17 percent in Mandi, the home district of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.

PTI

14:05 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

"Vote with full understanding to weave the future of Himachal," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urges people

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday appealed to the voters of Himachal Pradesh to "vote with full understanding in weaving the future of Himachal" as the state goes to the polls to decide the fate of 412 candidates for 68 assembly constituencies.

"Dear Himachali people, you all understand the situation of yourself and your state very well. Considering your circumstances, perform the duty of voting with full understanding and make your important contribution to changing the situation and weaving the future of Himachal. Jai Hind. Jai Himachal," she wrote on Twitter.

Polling began at 8 am amid tight security arrangements on Saturday.

ANI

13:43 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

105-year-old woman casts her vote

A 105-year-old woman named Naro Devi cast her voted today in Churah assembly constituency of Chamba district.

13:23 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Voters in Himachal queue up outside polling booths to elect new govt

From Shimla to the icy heights of Spiti, voters across Himachal Pradesh stepped out on Saturday to elect a new state government. It is a crucial test for the BJP hoping to beat precedent and return to power as well as for the Congress looking for electoral revival.

Voting began at 8 am on a slow note with an Election Commission official saying only four per cent polling was registered till 9 am. It began to pick up as the morning progressed and the winter chill eased a bit. Polling will continue till 5 pm in all 68 assembly constituencies.

In an early morning message to voters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged them to enthusiastically participate in the "festival of democracy" and register a voting record. In a tweet, Modi also greeted young voters who will be exercising their franchise for the first time.

PTI

13:10 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Polling officials cross snow-covered roads to reach election booths

As the assembly election is underway in Himachal Pradesh, polling officials reached the snow-covered assembly constituencies on foot to reach higher reaches of the state on Friday morning.

Snow spells in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh over the past few days have covered several polling booths in the state in a thick layer of white, making it challenging for the polling parties to reach these areas.

ANI

12:50 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Atmosphere of joy & people want the Govt repeated, says BJP chief on the alternating party trend

12:39 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

157 polling stations are being managed solely by women, says CEC Rajiv Kumar

12:21 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

BJP chief JP Nadda, his wife cast votes in Bilaspur

11:55 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Congress MP Anand Sharma cast his vote

11:45 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

‘Confident of winning 40-45 seats’, says Himachal Pradesh's Congress chief after casting vote

11:30 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, his son Anurag Thakur cast their votes

11:21 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Highest booth is in Tashigang, at a height of 15,256 feet

The Election Commission has set up 7,884 polling stations, including three auxiliary voting stations in far flung areas. Of these, 789 are vulnerable booths and 397 critical ones.

The highest booth is in Tashigang, Kaza in Spiti area of Lahaul Spiti district at a height of 15,256 feet. It will cater to 52 voters.

10:45 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Himachal will vote for employment, says Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi said Himachal Pradesh will vote for employment, OPS, and ‘Har Ghar Lakshmi’.

10:38 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Home Minister Amit Shah urges ‘mothers, sisters and youth’ to vote in polls

10:31 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

AAP candidates in 67 out of 68 Himachal Pradesh constituencies

Besides the BJP and the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party is also trying its electoral luck. It has fielded candidates on 67 of the total 68 assembly constituencies. The BSP is fighting polls on 53 seats

10:00 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Jairam Thakur asks voters to turn out in big numbers to help build 'prosperous Himachal'

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Saturday urged voters to come out in big numbers and enthusiastically participate in the "festival of democracy".

He said every vote will help build a prosperous Himachal Pradesh.

PTI

09:35 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Congress will claim majority after HP polls, says Vikramaditya Singh

09:20 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Suresh Bhardwaj, BJP MLA from Shimla, cast his vote

09:05 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

CM Jairam Thakur and his family cast their votes in Seraj Assembly constituency

08:51 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

The electoral battles to watch out for in Himachal Pradesh

After intense political campaigning, the people of Himachal Pradesh will vote today in the 69-member Assembly elections. The election in the hills has garnered much attention as it is a swing state — the party in power changes every elections (between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress) for the last three decades.

This time around, the elections in Himachal have become even more unpredictable with several Congress leaders joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Chief Minister Jairam Thakur just three days before polling.

As the state goes to polls, here are some crucial and interesting electoral battles to keep an eye out for.

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08:43 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Nearly 30,000 security personnel deployed to ensure free, fair voting

About 30,000 security personnel, including 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and over 11,500 state police personnel will be deployed for peaceful conduct of polling in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday.

Polling for 68 Assembly segments would be held in a single phase. About 50,000 government employees are on poll duty. Of the 7881 polling stations, 981 are critical and 901 have been categorised as vulnerable.

Chask Bhatori of Bharmour Tribal AC of Chamba district is one such polling station where the polling party has to walk 14 km to reach.

Read More

08:42 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Voting underway at various polling stations across Himachal

08:19 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Urge all voters to cast their vote today, says Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur

08:18 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

PM Modi requests voters across Himachal Pradesh to participate in Assembly Polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi requests voters across the state of Himachal Pradesh to participate in the Assembly polls today.

08:10 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Himachal will change, says Sadhana Thakur, wife of Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur

08:07 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Everyone will cast their vote today, says Himachal Pradesh Congress chief

08:03 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

A look at key players, constituencies to watch out in hill state

With Himachal Pradesh all set to vote to elect a new government in the Assembly polls, the fate of the political parties will be decided by over 55 lakh voters today.

The BJP is eying on retaining power in the state overturning the trend of an alternative government in the state since 1982, while the Congress is posing its faith in its ’10 guarantees’ that the party has promised to deliver on if it comes to power. The Aam Aadmi Party is also aiming at making inroads into the hill state hoping to present a strong performance in the polls.

However, both BJP and Congress are also fighting the problem of rebels on some seats.

Read More

08:01 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Voting in Himachal Pradesh begins

Voting for 68 Assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh begins; fate of 412 candidates in the fray

07:55 (IST)

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022 LIVE 

Nearly 30,000 security personnel deployed to ensure free, fair polls

As many as 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) comprising 6,700 personnel and 15 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies have been depoyed for holding free and fair Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh.

Besides this, 50,000 government employees have been put on poll duty. As many as 25,000 police officers are also stationed across the state.

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Election 2022: The day for the electorate to decide the political fate of the leaders across parties in Himachal Pradesh has arrived with the polling for the assembly elections is all set to begin at 8 am on Saturday.

The high-voltage political campaigns came to an end on 10 November, setting up the stage for the voters to cast their vote to elect the new government. The voting will go on till 5 pm today. The votes will be counted on 8 December.

Voting is all set to take place on all the 68 Assembly seats of the state, the majority of which (44) had come in the BJP’s bag in the 2017 Assembly polls, with Congress being restricted to just 21 seats.

The voters need to carry their Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) and show it at the polling booth. They may also carry one ID besides their photo voter slips.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 55,92,828 electors of which 27,37,845 are women, 28,54,945 men and 38 were third-gender, will decide the faith of 412 candidates. This time, the representation of woman candidates is 24.

The state, which has seen the power alternate between the BJP and Congress over the past several elections, will go to the polls on Saturday. While the BJP has expressed confidence in returning to power on the basis of the performance of state and central governments and its vision for the state, the Congress is hoping that some of its electoral promises will be a major draw among the electorate.

Aam Adami Party (AAP) too hopes to create a mark in the state and is contesting on all 68 seats.

Besides these three parties, parties like Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Rashtriya Devbhumi Party (RDP) are in the fray.

BJP brought star campaigners like Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also campaigned in the hill state. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit the ground along with other top leaders of the party including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Today’s polls also carry much significance for JP Nadda since Himachal Pradesh is his native state.

According to Election Commission, a total of 7,881 polling stations have been set up for the polls. The Kangra district has a maximum of 1,625 polling stations while the Lahaul-Spiti district has the lowest 92. There are 7,235 polling stations in rural and 646 polling stations in urban areas. Besides, three auxiliary polling stations will also be set up at Sidhbari (Dharamshala), Bara Bhangal (Baijnath) and Dhillon (Kasauli).

The key constituencies include Seraj from where Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is contesting again. Congress has put up Chetram Thakur who had contested from the seat last time also. Mahinder Rana is the CPI-M candidate.

Congress legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri is contesting his fifth election from the Haroli assembly segment in the Una district. BJP has pitted state spokesperson Ram Kumar against him.

Former Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, seen as a chief ministerial aspirant, is contesting from Nadaun. The BJP has fielded Vijay Agnihotri.

Former Himachal Minister and Congress leader Asha Kumari is contesting from Dalhousie. She is pitted against BJP’s DS Thakur and AAP’s Manish Sareen.

Senior Congress leader Kaul Singh Thakur is again fighting from his traditional seat of Darang against BJP’s Puran Chand Thakur and AAP candidate Sunita Thakur.

Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, is recontesting from Shimla rural. BJP has fielded Ravi Mehta from the seat.

In Shimla Urban, Congress’ Harish Janartha is taking on BJP’s ‘chaiwala’ candidate Sanjay Sood. AAP’s Chaman Rakesh Ajta and CPI-M’s Tikender Singh Pawar are also in the fray.

In Nurpur, BJP has fielded a new candidate Ranveer Singh who is fighting against Ajay Mahajan of Congress and Manishi Kumari from AAP.

Bhawani Paathania, who won the recent by-election from Fatehpur, is fighting against BJP minister and candidate Rakesh Pathania. AAP has fielded former Himachal minister Rajan Sushant.

In Nagrota, Congress candidate RS Bali is fighting against BJP candidate Arun Kumar Mehra and APP candidate Umakant Dogra.

Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly Vipin Parmar is fighting from Sulah against Jagdish Sapheia and AAP candidate Ravinder Singh.

In Sujanpur, Congress has again fielded Rajinder Singh Rana who defeated former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in the 2017 elections. BJP has fielded Ranjit Singh from the seat and AAP has fielded Anil Rana.

Dr Janak Raj of BJP is taking on senior Congress leader Thakur Singh Bharmauri from Bharmaur. AAP has fielded Prakash Chand Bharadwaj.

In Jubbal Kotkhai, the Congress has fielded sitting MLA Rohit Thakur. He is fighting against Chetan Singh Bragta of the BJP. CPI-M has fielded Vishal Shangta and Shrikant Chauhan is an AAP candidate.

Former Congress state chief Kuldeep Rathore is pitted against CPI-M’s Rakesh Singha, BJP’s Ajay Shyam and AAP’s Attar Singh.

Minister Suresh Bhardwaj was shifted from Shimla to Kasumpti. Congress candidate Anirudh Singh and CPI-M candidate Kuldeep Singh Tanwar are also in the fray.

Meanwhile, 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) comprising 6,700 personnel and 15 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies have been deployed to hold free and fair Assembly polls in Himachal Pradesh.

Besides this, 50,000 government employees have been put on poll duty. As many as 25,000 police officers are also stationed across the state.

Teams from the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) comprising 800 personnel have also been posted.

In 2017, BJP swept the Himachal polls, bagging 44 of the total 68 seats while Congress managed to get just 21 seats.

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