Himachal Pradesh Municipal Election 2021 LIVE UPDATES: Results to be announced today
Himachal Pradesh Municipal Election 2021 LIVE: Polling for four municipal corporations and six Nagar Panchayats in Himachal Pradesh begun on Wednesday morning amid tight security. The four municipal corporations are -- Dharamshala, Mandi, Palampur and Solan. The six panchayats are -- Ani, Chirgaon, Nerwa, Nirmand, Kandaghat and Amb Nagar.
The state Election Commission has made elaborate arrangement for the smooth conduct of the exercise. Polling will conclude at 4 PM. All Covid-19 related protocols like face mask, hand gloves, social distancing are being followed at the polling stations.
Counting of vote will start immediately after polling is concludes. Results will be declared by late evening.
The elections for four Himachal Pradesh municipal corporations are being seen as a litmus test for Chief Minister Jairam Thakur ahead of the Assembly polls next year.
Himachal Pradesh local body election 2021, Himachal Pradesh municipal election 2021 LIVE:
10:15 pm: A voter turnout of 65% have been recorded in 4 Himachal municipal corporations.
3:30 pm: Voter turnout so far
40 per cent turnout has been recorded in Dharamshala, 49 per cent in Palampur till 2pm.
2:50 PM: Himachal Municipal Election Result
The counting of votes will be taken up immediately after the end of the polling at 4 pm at the municipal headquarters. The results will be announced today itself.
2:30 PM: Himachal Municipal Election: Virbhadra Singh skipped campaigning
Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh was scheduled to campaign for Congress in Solan on Monday, but could not go there due to recent spike in coronavirus cases, Congress state president Kuldeep Singh Rathore said. He has issued an appeal to the electors to vote in favour of Congress candidates.
2 PM: Himachal Municipal Election 2021 LIVE: BJP govt misused government machinery, says Congress
The Congress has levelled allegations of misuse of government machinery during campaigning, stating that several rural areas had been included in the three newly-created municipal corporations.
They also promised to ensure minimum wages under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission. The campaigning for the Congress was led by state president Kuldeep Singh Rathore and opposition leader Mukesh Agnihotri and other party leaders like Sudhir Sharma, Kaul Singh Thakur, G S Bali and Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu.
1 PM: Himachal Municipal Election LIVE: BJP confident of winning
Both the BJP and Congress leaders are claiming that they would emerge victorious in all the four corporations. During electioneering, the BJP leaders cited achievements of the state government and promised to provide better roads, sewage and water facilities. Union minister Anurag Thakur, state Cabinet ministers Mahender Singh Thaiur, Bikram Singh, Rakesh Pathania, former minister Rajeev Bindal and state BJP chief and Shimla MP Suresh Kashyap campaigned for party candidates.
UPDATE: Himachal Municipal Election 2021 LIVE
In a tweet, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur appealed to the people to vote in large numbers and participate in the festival of democracy.
11:25 AM: Himachal Municipal Election 2021 Candidates
A total of 279 candidates are trying their luck in 64 wards of the four municipal bodies, but the direct contest is likely between the BJP and the Congress candidates. The Aam Aadmi Party has also fielded its candidates on 43 out of total 64 wards, whereas the CPI(M) has fielded only one candidate in a ward in Mandi. Eighty candidates are in the fray for 17 wards of Dharamshala, followed by 75 candidates for 15 wards of Mandi, 64 candidates for 15 wards of Palampur and 60 candidates for Solan.
10:40 AM: Himachal Pradesh Civic Body Election 2021
Mandi, Solan and Palampur are the newly-created civic bodies and are going for polls for the first time. Dharamshala municipal corporation was created in 2015 when the elections were not held on party symbols. The fifth municipal corporation of Shimla will end in 2022. Thus, it has been kept out of the poll schedule.
10 AM UPDATE: A turnout of 12 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of voting in Dharamshala and 13 per cent in Palampur in Himachal Pradesh, where polling for four municipal corporations is underway. Polling is being held at Dharamshala, Mandi, Solan and Palampur from 8 am to 4 pm.
9:40 AM: Himachal Pradesh Municipal Election 2021 LIVE
Polling is taking place four municipal corporations -- Dharamshala, Mandi, Palampur and Solan. The six panchayats are -- Ani, Chirgaon, Nerwa, Nirmand, Kandaghat and Amb Nagar.
9:20 AM: Himachal Pradesh Municipal Election 2021 LIVE
Polling begins in Himachal Pradesh for four municipal corporations and six Nagar Panchayats.
