2815 employees to be deployed in counting process

Dharamshala, November 29, 2017: Chief Electoral Officer in Himachal Pradesh Mr Pushpendra Rajput said, "Adequate arrangements had been made for counting for the state assembly elections-2017 for 18 December, 2017.” In a press note issued here today Rajput said, "The counting would start at 8 am simultaneously at all places and videography of each poling center would also be done.”
He said that 48 poling centres had been established in the state with facility of 781 poling tables. In all , 2815 employees would be engaged in the counting process for all 68 assembly seats.
He said that rehearsal would be conducted at Shimla, Mandi and Dharamshala on 6 and 7 December,2017 for all the counting officers and officials.

Himachal went to poll for 68 members state assembly on 9th of November were the state recorded its highest-ever polling percentage in the Assembly elections this year, with 74 per cent of the electorate turning up to vote, to the previous highest polling of 73.51 per cent was recorded in the 2012 Assembly elections. There are 338 candidates including 62 MLAs are in the fray, including 19 women.
Both Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his rival, the BJP’s name for CM post Prem Kumar Dhumal repeated their respective claims to form the next government. Arki, from where Virbhadra contested the election, 74.36% voters casted their ballot. Earlier, the best turnout was 73.46%. In Sujanpur, from where Dhumal contested the polls, the turnout was 74.07%, against the previous best of 69.33%.
The ruling Congress and the BJP are contesting all 68 Assembly seats while the BSP has fielded 42 candidates and the CPI(M) has put up 14 candidates.

In 2012, the Congress cornered 42.81 per cent of the total votes cast, and secured 36 of the 68 seats in the Assembly. The BJP secured 38.47 per cent of the vote share and won 26 seats.