71.59 % press blue button in Shimla

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 19

The Shimla (reserved) constituency recorded the highest-ever polling of 71.59 per cent. No untoward incident was reported from any part of the constituency. However, a few EVMs developed error and were replaced.

Ten Assembly segments in the district polled more than 70 per cent votes. The polling was 69.73 per cent in 1998 and the percentage was high as the Lok Sabha polls were held simultaneously with the Assembly polls. The polling was 63.99 per cent in 2014 and 55.73 per cent 2009.

The weather was sunny and people in large number turned out for voting which remained steady in Shimla. Voters turnout was 12.7 per cent till 9 am, 28.1 per cent till 11 am, 47.38 till 1 pm, 57.65 till 3 pm and 67.40 per cent till 5pm.

“It is a unique experience for us as we have come to vote for the first time,” said Muskaan, Rupal and Bhoomika, who exercised their franchise at government school, Theog. “We are hopeful that leaders will fulfil their promises, especially improving the educational standards,” they told The Tribune.

Former Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma cast his vote at Longwood while Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj cast his vote in Chhota Shimla. HPCC president Kuldeep Rathore cast his vote in Theog.

With focus on the elderly and disabled, most polling stations had the ramp facility. Youth icon for the Lok Sabha elections in the state, visually impaired Muskaan, exercised her franchise at her native Sundasali village in Rohru through Braille.

To facilitate women with children, temporary crèches were set up at model booths with two anganwari volunteers assisting women voters. There are 37,852 differently abled voters in the state, including 5,755 visually impaired, 19,173 with locomotive disability and 4,366 hearing and speech-impaired voters. In the 2014 elections, the Congress got lead in only three of the 17 Assembly segments in the Shimla constituency while the BJP secured a lead in 14 Assembly seats.

Anand sharma, Kuldeep Rathore vote

• Former Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma exercised his franchise at Longwood while state Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj cast his vote in Chhota Shimla

• Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Kuldeep Rathore cast his vote in Theog.

• To facilitate women with children, temporary crèches were set up at model booths with two anganwari volunteers assisting women voters.

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