Shimla Municipal Corporation polls: Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhu casts vote in Chhota Shimla ward

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 2 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday cast his vote in the Chhota Shimla ward of Shimla Municipal Corporation elections.

The Chief Minister, who was accomped by his family members, reached the polling station to exercise his voting right amidst heavy downpour. He also visited the tea stall at Chhota Shimla after casting his vote which he used to visit as a councillor.

He said that it is a proud movement for him to vote in the Municipal Corporation elections as a Chief Minister from the same ward where he remained a councillor twice.

One of the oldest civic body polls saw a voter turnout of 58.97 per cent till 4 pm. A total of 55,098 voters, including 25,763 exercised their voting rights.

Earlier on Monday, the Congress State unit exuded confidence in winning the civic body polls.

Minister of Education, Rohit Thakur and Minister of Panchayti Raj and rural development, rudh Singh of Himachal Pradesh in a joint conference in Shimla, on Monday, said, "The Congress party is going to win this election, after winning the parliamentary and three Assembly bye-elections in 2021 and General state Assembly elections in 2022 and now will be winning the civic body poll of the state capital city, Shimla."

As many as 149 polling stations were set up for the election of 34 wards of Municipal Corporation Shimla, and 4 auxiliary polling stations were also set up for 4 wards, Lower Dhalli, Vikasnagar, Kangnadhar and New Shimla.

A total of 153 polling teams were appointed for the general elections of Shimla Municipal Corporation, in which about 1000 polling personnel and security personnel were included.

Out of 149 polling stations, 10 polling stations were declared highly sensitive, 40 sensitive and 99 polling stations normal.

The State Election Commission had instructed the Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, that webcasting of the polling process should be done at highly sensitive and sensitive polling stations so that polling can be conducted smoothly.

The counting of votes for Municipal Corporation Shimla and Palampur will be done from 10 am on May 4, 2023, while counting of votes of ward members of other urban bodies, Nagar Panchayat Jwali, District Kangra and Nagar Panchayat Rajgarh, District Sirmaur will start immediately after polling ends.