At 79.04%, Nalagarh records less voting than 2022 Assembly poll

Ambika Sharma

Solan, July 10

People turned out in large numbers to cast their votes in the Nalagarh byelection in Solan district today. However, the voter turnout of 79.04 per cent registered in the constituency was 2.8 per cent less than 81.84 per cent polling recorded in the 2022 Assembly elections though it was more than the around 72 per cent turnout in the recent Lok Sabha elections. No untoward incident was reported and the voting remained peaceful.

The polling was sluggish in the beginning, registering a 15.99 per cent turnout by 9 am and 34.63 per cent by 11 am. However, voting gathered pace and the turnout rose to 51.59 per cent by 1 pm, 63.73 per cent by 3 pm and finally to 79.04 per cent by 6.30 pm. The final figure was 3.56 per cent less than 82.6 per cent polling registered in the 2011 byelection.

As many as 74,166 voters (37,854 men, 36,310 women and two transgender) cast their votes. Two electronic voting machines were replaced after they developed snags, said District Magistrate, Solan, Manmohan Sharma. Nalagarh has the reputation of witnessing large voter turnouts in the Lok Sabha as well as Assembly elections.

Congress nominee Hardeep Bawa cast his vote at the Dhana booth while BJP’s KL Thakur voted at the Panjera booth. They were accompanied by their families. Independent candidate Harpreet Saini exercised his right to franchise at the Rajpura booth.

Voters were seen patiently standing in queues outside polling booths with the youth especially keen to cast their votes for the first time. Mundika, a first-time voter, cast her vote at Ramshehar while Cheenu Thakur voted at the critical polling booth of Hatda. Dharika (18) polled her vote at the Bansiawala polling booth and exhorted the youth to exercise their right to franchise. Brief showers were witnessed in the morning.

The women turnout was less in the early hours but it increased as the day progressed. Voters braved sweltering heat and humid conditions as they waited for their turn to cast their votes. The spirit of the elderly was not dampened by the humid weather as they, accompanied by their family members, turned up at various booths.

Satya Devi (71) voted at the Dattowal booth while 80-year-old Banto Devi cast her vote at Jogo Baniyawala. Sulochana Devi (70) cast her vote at Panjhera while Gafura Devi (70) exercised her right to franchise at the Khera Nanowal booth. Suleman (81) cast his vote at Khera Nanowal and exhorted others to use the opportunity to chose their representative.