At 76.14%, Kasauli residents top in Solan, Arki laggard at 68.11%

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 1

Solan district registered 71.36 per cent voting, with 71 .70 per cent male and 71 per cent female voters. Kasauli registered the highest voting at 76.14 per cent.

Doon Assembly segment saw 73.92 per cent voting, while Nalagarh registered 71.73 per cent turnout. Arki registered the lowest turnout of 68.11 per cent in the district, followed by 68.59 per cent in Solan. Doon Assembly segment saw a decline of 6 per cent vis-à-vis 2019 polls. In the previous elections, as much as 79.54 per cent polling was registered in this segment. Likewise Nalagarh saw a decline of 7 per cent vis-à-vis 2019 when 78.7 per cent votes had been cast.

Women turnout remained lower in all five seats. In Arki, 49,133 males voted as against 48,101 females. While in Nalagarh, 47,933 males cast their votes as against 45,855 females. In Solan, women voters totalled to 43,087 as against 44,749 males. In Kasauli, 33,963 women voters came to vote as against 35,802 males and Doon Assembly segment saw 35,722 females as against 38,770 males. Six transgender also cast their vote in the elections.

Peaceful polling was registered with no untoward incident having been reported in Solan. Kasauli Assembly segment took a lead in polling since morning and maintained it till evening. Though barely 18 per cent polling was registered by 9 am, it gathered pace and reached 36 per cent by 11 am. It further improved to 54 per cent by 1 pm and later to 72.58 per cent by 5 pm.

However, Arki Assembly segment lagged behind throughout the day. As much as 16 per cent polling was registered by 9 am, which rose to 30 per cent by 11 am. It improved to 54.18 per cent by 3 pm and 64.23 per cent by 5 pm.

Voting remained sluggish in the morning in Solan as barely 16.07 per cent voters turned up by 9 am while it improved to 32.1 per cent in the next two hours and picked up pace by 1 pm when 49.13 per cent voters had polled. It increased to 58.15 per cent by 3 pm and further to 65.91 per cent by 5 pm.

In the industrial belt of Nalagarh Assembly, barely 15.12 per cent voters cast their vote by 9 am. As much as 57.92 per cent voters had turned up by 3 pm and this number increased to 67.44 per cent by 5 pm.

The Doon industrial segment registered almost a similar trend with 15.4 per cent voters turning up by 9 am. This number increased to 61 per cent by 3 pm. As much as 69.81 per cent voting was registered by 5 pm.

Large number of first time voters, besides the elderly and people with disabilities were among the early voters. Large number of women voters were seen enthusiastically turning up in Doon and Nalagarh Assembly segments in the sweltering heat to cast their ballots. Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma was seen motivating voters to exercise their right to franchise in Solan. A large number of elderly turned up to vote at various polling booths in the district.

Seeta Devi (87) cast her vote in Patta in Kasauli Assembly segment while Ram Chand (81) and Parvati Devi (77) cast their votes at Basheel in Solan. Puran Chand Awasthy (96) was the oldest voter at Mangal booth in Arki. Laxit Bhardwaj and his grandmother Kanta Bhardwaj were the first voters to turn up at Arki. Dwarika Devi (92) cast her vote at Bohli booth in Kasauli. Shashi Mittal (82) cast his vote at Ward Number 8 in Solan. Usha Kanwar (84) cast her vote at a women operated polling booth at Solan Municipal Corporation.