Shimla: Voting for the second phase of Panchayati Raj elections commenced across Himachal Pradesh on Thursday morning, with polling underway in 1,276 gram panchayats spread across different districts of the state.
Election officials said more than 17 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes during this phase of rural body elections. Polling stations opened early in the morning, and voters began arriving steadily to participate in the democratic exercise.
According to the State Election Commission, extensive arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and transparent polling. Security personnel, election staff and administrative teams have been deployed across sensitive and remote areas to maintain order and facilitate smooth voting.
Officials indicated that voter turnout could witness an increase compared to the first phase, mainly due to comparatively pleasant weather conditions. Unlike the earlier phase, which took place during intense heatwave conditions, several regions are currently experiencing cooler temperatures and chances of light rainfall.
The polling process is being conducted from 7 am to 3 pm. Voters are casting ballots for five separate positions, including ward member, gram panchayat pradhan, vice-pradhan, Panchayat Samiti member and Zila Parishad representative.
Data released by election authorities showed that the electorate includes over 8.74 lakh male voters and around 8.55 lakh female voters, along with a small number of voters registered under the “other” category.
Officials stated that monitoring teams remain active throughout the day and all polling activities are being closely supervised to prevent any irregularities.
The ongoing panchayat elections are considered crucial for strengthening grassroots governance and local administrative representation across rural Himachal Pradesh.
