Uttarakhand Polls: 62.5% Turnout Recorded as Voting for 70 Seats Ends
This time, 632 candidates are in the fray across the state's 70 constituencies.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of the BJP and Harish Rawat of the Congress party. Image used for representational purposes.
(Photo: The Quint)
As polling ended for the Uttarakhand elections on Monday, 14 February, the state saw a 62.5 percent voter turnout till 6 pm across the 13 districts.
The election, whose results will be announced on 10 March, will decide the winner of a closely-fought battle between the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition Congress.
This time, 632 candidates were in the fray across the state's 70 constituencies. The number of polling booths was increased by 623, to 11,447.
While Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami contested again from Khatima, the Congress' old warhorse in the state, Harish Rawat, contested from Lalkuan.
In the state's previous elections that were held in 2017, the BJP, led by Trivendra Singh Rawat, had won by an overwhelming margin, bagging 57 of the 70 seats.
The Congress had finished second with 11 seats, and the remaining two seats had gone to Independent candidates.
While the BJP has promised to introduce a uniform civil code if voted to power, the Congress has latched on to its developmental theme of 'Char dhaam, char kaam.'
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Voting to Begin at 8 AM
Voting for the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly elections will begin at 8 am.
'Strengthen Festival of Democracy': PM Modi
PM Narendra Modi on Monday, 14 February took to Twitter to urge voters to vote in large numbers in the three states.
"Polling will be held across Uttarakhand, Goa and in parts of Uttar Pradesh. I call upon all those whose are eligible to vote today to do so in record numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy," he tweeted.
150 Model Polling Booths, 100 Sakhi Booths Set Up
On the directions of the election commission, around 150 'Model Polling Booths' and 100 'Sakhi Polling Booths' have been set up with the objective of ensuring female participation and gender equality in the elections.
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Casts His Vote
Uttarakhand Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Khatima, Pushkar Singh Dhami, casts his vote at a polling booth for the Uttarakhand Assembly polls. His wife and mother were also present to cast their votes.
The CM took to Twitter to say,
'People Will Bring BJP on Over 60 Seats': CM
'Law & Order is Very Peaceful': Chief Electoral Officer
"Law and order is very peaceful. Forces are deployed everywhere as per plan. All polling parties had reached safely last night itself. Weather forecast for today is fine, so I hope it'll be peaceful," news agency ANI quoted Uttarakhand Chief Electoral Officer Soujanya as saying on Monday.
5.15 Percent Voter Turnout Recorded Till 9 AM
Glimpses of Voters From the Hill State
(Photo: Twitter/@Uttarakhandceo)
(Photo: Twitter/@Uttarakhandceo)
(Photo: Twitter/@Uttarakhandceo)
(Photo: Twitter/@Uttarakhandceo)
State Minister Satpal Mahara Casts Vote in Chaubattakhal
Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj casts his vote in Chaubattakhal Assembly constituency, Pauri Garhwal.
Ex-CM Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishan Casts His Vote
Union Education Minister and Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishan and his daughter cast their votes for the Assembly polls on Monday.
(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@DrRPNishank)
AAP's CM Face Ajay Kothiyal Casts His Vote
Aam Aadmi Party's CM candidate for Uttarakhand, Colonel Ajay Kothiyal (retd), cast his vote amidst the Assembly polls.
"Today, I voted for better schools and hospitals in Uttarakhand, employment for youth, women rights, honour for soldiers and the promise of getting back Uttarakhand's assets," the AAP leader later stated in a recorded a video message.
18.97% Voter Turnout Recorded Till 11 AM
Haridwar Records Highest Turnout Till 11 AM
The average voter percentage in the 13 districts till 11 AM was recorded to be 18.97%. The influential Haridwar Assembly seat reported the highest percentage of voter turnout at 22.41%, followed by Nainital at 20.63% and Udham Singh Nagar at 20.54%.
The turnout in the rest of the districts is shown here.
(Photo: Twitter/@Uttarakhandceo)
35.21% Voter Turnout Recorded Till 1 PM
Average Turnout Across All Districts Recorded to be 35.21% Till 1 PM
Voter turnout across Uttarakhand's 13 districts till 1 pm was as following:
Dehradun - 34.45%
Haridwar - 38.83%
Chamoli - 33.82%
Rudraprayag - 34.82%
Tehri Garhwal - 32.59%
Uttarkashi - 40.12%
Pauri Garhwal - 31.59%
Almora - 30.37%
Nainital - 37.41%
Pithoragarh - 29.68%
U S Nagar - 37.17%
Bageshwar - 32.55%
Champawat - 34.66%
Voter Turnout 59.37% at 5 pm
Voter turnout of 59.37 percent recorded, in Uttarakhand, at 5 pm.
Voting Ends in Uttarakhand With 62.5% Turnout
Voting ended for Uttarakhand Assembly elections with a turnout of 62.5 percent. The district wise turnout, as recorded by the EC till the end of polling at 6 pm, is as follows:
Dehradun - 52.93%
Haridwar - 68.73%
Chamoli - 59.28%
Rudraprayag - 60.36%
Tehri Garhwal - 52.66%
Uttarkashi - 65.55%
Pauri Garhwal - 51.93%
Almora - 50.65%
Nainital - 63.12%
Pithoragarh - 57.49%
U S Nagar - 65.13%
Bageshwar - 57.83%
Champawat - 56.97%