Himachal civic polls: Brisk voting in Kangra’s urban local bodies, Dharamsala sees slower turnout till 1 pm
Voter turnout to rise further during final hours as more residents arrive at polling stations to exercise their democratic right
While municipal councils across Kangra district witnessed brisk polling on Sunday, voter turnout in the high-profile Dharamsala Municipal Corporation elections remained comparatively sluggish till 1 pm despite only two hours of polling remaining.
The Dharamsala Municipal Corporation recorded 42.2 per cent voting till 1 pm. Of the total 36,800 registered voters, 15,543 had exercised their franchise by the afternoon. Male voter turnout remained slightly higher than female participation, with 7,845 men casting their votes compared to 7,701 women.
Polling continued peacefully across all wards amid tight security arrangements and deployment of adequate police personnel at sensitive booths. Election officials said the voting process remained smooth, and no major technical glitches were reported in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
The Dharamsala MC elections are witnessing a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress, though rebel candidates and independents have made the contest triangular in several wards. Political parties intensified voter mobilisation efforts during the afternoon in a bid to increase turnout before polling closes at 3 pm.
In contrast, several other urban local bodies in Kangra district recorded enthusiastic voter participation till 1 pm, with women outnumbering men in many municipalities. Dehra Municipal Council registered 62 per cent turnout, while Nagrota Bagwan recorded 63.6 per cent polling. Kangra Municipal Council reported 54.31 per cent turnout and Jawalamukhi Municipal Council recorded 61.93 per cent voting.
Shahpur Nagar Panchayat also witnessed steady participation, with 54.15 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm. Election officials said women voters turned up in large numbers across these urban local bodies, contributing significantly to the higher polling percentages.
Officials expressed hope that voter turnout would rise further during the final hours as more residents arrive at polling stations to exercise their democratic right.
