57.8% cast vote, results today

SHIMLA With showers from the clouds, the voter turnout for the municipal elections in Shimla also came down and ceased at 57.8% on Friday. It resulted in a 7-8% fall in the voting percentage from last time in 2012.

Around 45% polling was recorded till 2 pm. Later, as the rainfall started, polling booths wore a deserted look. Several polling booths in Chota Shimla and Kasumpati areas did not see a single voter for almost 30-40 minutes. The polling percentage at Benmore and Sangti remained less than 50% while in Kainthu, Totu, Majyat, Kachi Ghati, Nabha, Krishna Nagar, Ram Bazar, Lower Bazar, Jakhu, San- jauli Chowk, Upper Dhali, Shanti Vihar and Bhattakufar, it went over 60%.

The polling started at 8 am to a sluggish start with only 13% votes polled till 10 am. Candidates and supporters had to toil hard to bring voters to the polling booths.

Meanwhile, voters faced inconvenience on another front as many polling stations did not have their names on the lists. In some cases, wrong photos of persons were attached in the voters’ list due to which they were unable to vote.

“My vote is here at Chota Shimla while the names of my family numbers are appearing at other polling booths,” said JL Sharma, a local resident.

For 34 wards, there were 153 polling stations of which, 23 were declared highly sensitive. Shimla’s Krishnanagar ward had the maximum fight with nine contenders while Jakhu and Nabha have BJP and Congress supported candidates.

This time, MC elections are not being held on party symbols. Yet, political parties left no stone unturned to campaign for their supported candidates. Chief minister (CM) Virbhadra Singh, union minister JP Nadda, former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal too campaigned for their candidates besides ministers and senior leaders of parties.

The first time voters were enthused to cast their votes in the election. Kiran Thakur, who voted at Engineghar ward said, “I am happy to cast my vote for the first time. I voted for change.”

Bumpy

Riteish Deshmukh, Viveik Oberoi, Rhea Chakraborty, Bhuvan Arora, Vikram Thapa

This venture seemed doomed from the start. It was supposed to be TV comic Kapil Sharma’s Bollywood debut. Then production