369 polling stations declared sensitive in Himachal, nearly 30% in one district alone
With 369 of the 7,992 polling stations in Himachal Pradesh identified as sensitive, the state is taking stringent measures to ensure a smooth electoral process for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and Assembly bypoll scheduled for June 1.
Kangra district has the highest number of sensitive polling stations at 118, which is nearly 30 per cent of the total, followed by Sirmaur with 58, Una with 51 and Solan with 45. Other districts with sensitive booths include Chamba (20), Hamirpur (17), Bilaspur (16), Mandi (16), Shimla (16), Kinnaur (7), Kullu (3) and Lahaul-Spiti (2).
Campaigning officially ended at 6 pm on Thursday (May 30, 2024), with star campaigners from both BJP and Congress wrapping up their efforts. Local leaders and party workers will continue door-to-door canvassing for their candidates on Friday. The future of the candidates will be decided on Tuesday, the day of counting.
Chief Electoral Officer Manish Garg said that 6,589 polling parties have already been dispatched to their respective destinations across various districts. In preparation for the challenging terrains, some polling parties embarked on arduous journeys on foot.
For example, a team in the Mehla block of the Bharmour Assembly constituency in Chamba district walked 15 km to reach Ehlami polling station. Similarly, the polling team for Pandar (Dodrakwar) in Shimla covered 11 km on foot, and the team for Chakki polling station in Kangra trekked 13 km. For the remote Bara-Bhangal area, the polling party was airlifted by helicopter with EVMs and other material.
In an effort to maintain order, liquor shops will remain closed from 6 pm on May 30 until midnight on June 1, and again on June 4, the day of vote counting. Additionally, police have sealed the borders with neighbouring states to prevent any unlawful activities.
