Shimla: The first of the three-phase Panchayati Raj Institution elections in Himachal Pradesh will be held on Sunday and over 1,200 panchayats will go to polls.
According to official sources, voting in 1,227-gram panchayats will be held from 8 am to 4 pm, he said on Saturday, adding that the remaining two phases are slated to be held on January 19 and January 21.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, electoral officer Sanjeev Mahajan said," As many as 7,583 polling parties will ensure smooth conduct of voting in the first phase. The counting of votes for ward members, deputy village heads and village heads will be conducted soon after completion of voting."
"The election process will be completed by January 23. The candidates are contesting these elections as independents and not on party symbols, though," Mahajan said.
"In Ambota Gram Panchayat of Una district, a total of 4353 voters will vote, which is the highest in any gram panchayat, while Pooh's Sumara Panchayat has the least 163 voters in the state. In the first phase on January 17, voting will be held in 60 panchayats of Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Spiti, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur, Solan, Panchayats of Una," he added.
However, counting of votes for members of the panchayat samitis and Zila Parishads will be conducted on January 22.
The consignment of Covishield vaccine, produced by Pune-based Serum Institute of India, had been airlifted from Pune to Chandigarh, from where it was brought to Shimla by road. The state government has constituted state-level steering committee, state task force, district task force and block task force to monitor the election process effectively, official sources added.
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