Himachal panchayat elections witness 77% turnout in Phase 1 At 103, India’s first voter keeps date with democracy
mally scanned at the entry of booths. A one-hour window from 4pm to 5pm was reserved for Covid patients to cast their ballot. As many as 1,227 panchayats out of total 3,583 went to polls in the first round. A total of 102 panchayats have already been elected unanimously in the state.
Mahajan said polling was held in 60 panchayats of Bilaspur, 114 in Chamba, 85 in Hamirpur, 276 in Kangra, 26 in Kinnaur, 81 in Kullu, 2 in Spiti, 190 in Mandi, 138 in Shimla, and 87 in Sirmaur among others.
A total of 7,593 polling parties have been deployed to conduct the polls. Polling for second phase will be held on January 19 and third phase on January 21.
Chief minister predicts ‘big victory’ for BJP Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur cast his vote along with his wife Dr Sadhna Thakur at a polling booth set up in Kurani Government Primary School at his home panchayat Murhag of Mandi’s Seraj assembly segment.
He said over 70% Bjp-supported candidates had won elections for urban local bodies (ULBS) recently and similar trends are expected in the panchayat polls. He said “good people should get elected and if elected candidate follows ruling party’s ideology, they would be more effective in taking the government’s welfare schemes and polices to the common masses”.
Thakur said harmony should prevail after the election results are announced. He also expressed gratitude to the people for coming out in number to cast their ballot and also to the residents of those panchcyats which have elected their representatives unanimously.
Panic after dead crow falls near polling booth Panic gripped the Bhandarka area in Haripur panchayat of Chamba district after a crow dropped dead near the polling booth. The polling party informed the authorities after which a team of animal husbandry department rushed to the spot. Deputy director, animal husbandry, Rajesh Singh, said samples of the bird have been sent for testing.
SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA: State election authorities rolled out a red carpet in the honour of Shyam Saran Negi, Independent India’s first voter, who came out to exercise his franchise despite his advanced age and biting cold.
Negi, 103, cast his ballot at a polling booth in primary school of Kalpa panchayat in Kinnaur, which went to polls in the first round of three-phased panchayati raj institutions (PRI) elections. Kinnaur deputy commissioner Hemraj Bairwa felicitated Negi at the polling booth.
Youth should draw inspiration from him, says Kinnaur DC
“Youth should draw inspiration from him, as he came walking despite his age. People should understand the message that how important their vote is for the democracy,” Bairwa said.
Dressed in traditional Kinnauri attire, Negi was welcomed by officials as a band played traditional melodies on his arrival.
The local administration had made arrangements to help Negi reach the polling booth.
Born on July 1, 1917, as per his official records, Negi was first to cast his vote in India’s maiden general elections. The elections in India were held in February 1952 but polling was conducted in tribal Kinnaur five months in advance owing to fears of inclement weather which would have rendered the exercise futile as the valley remained snowbound in winters. Ever since, he has not missed a single election.
Kalpa then was called Chinni. In 2012, the then chief election commissioner, Naveen Chawla, had visited Negi’s home in Kalpa to felicitate him and acknowledge him as Independent India’s first voter. During the 2014 elections, Google had made a video featuring Negi for its ‘Pledge to Vote Campaign’.