<p>Nearly 18 per cent of over 55 lakh voters in Himachal Pradesh turned out on Saturday in the first three hours to elect 68 members of the BJP-ruled Assembly in the single phase polling, officials said.</p>.<p>Women turned out in strength in rural areas despite cold climatic conditions in the morning, said poll officials.</p>.<p>Only 4 per cent voting was recorded in first hour of polling. There were minor hiccups as electronic voting machines developed snags at some places.</p>.<p>BJP leader and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, his wife and two daughters cast their votes at a polling booth in Seraj in Mandi district. From Seraj, the four-time lawmaker is in fray again.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/himachal-pradesh-assembly-elections-2022-live-updates-narendra-modi-bjp-jai-ram-thakur-congress-virbhadra-singh-seat-polling-mandi-kangra-ECI-1161613.html#6">Follow for Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections live updates</a></strong></p>.<p>After casting his vote, Thakur urged the voters to come out in big numbers and enthusiastically participate in the "festival of democracy".</p>.<p>Ninety-year-old Nazrim Mani and his 87-year-old wife cast their votes at a model polling booth in a school that was opened in 1890 in Kalpa village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, election officials said.</p>.<p>Government Primary School in Kalpa, some 275 km from the state capital in the Kinnaur Assembly constituency, was the first school in the district.</p>.<p>He flashed his wrinkled inked finger after voting.</p>.<p>After casting the vote, Mani appealed to the voters in the state to participate in this festival of democracy with full enthusiasm.</p>.<p>Greeting the first-timers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the voters to participate in the election process.</p>.<p>About 30,000 security personnel, including 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and over 11,500 state police personnel have been deployed for peaceful conduct of polling.</p>.<p>In the 2017 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 44 seats, the Congress 21, the CPM one and Independents two. The voter turnout in the 2017 poll was 75.57 per cent.</p>.<p>The counting of votes for Saturday election will be held on December 8</p>
<p>Nearly 18 per cent of over 55 lakh voters in Himachal Pradesh turned out on Saturday in the first three hours to elect 68 members of the BJP-ruled Assembly in the single phase polling, officials said.</p>.<p>Women turned out in strength in rural areas despite cold climatic conditions in the morning, said poll officials.</p>.<p>Only 4 per cent voting was recorded in first hour of polling. There were minor hiccups as electronic voting machines developed snags at some places.</p>.<p>BJP leader and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, his wife and two daughters cast their votes at a polling booth in Seraj in Mandi district. From Seraj, the four-time lawmaker is in fray again.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-politics/himachal-pradesh-assembly-elections-2022-live-updates-narendra-modi-bjp-jai-ram-thakur-congress-virbhadra-singh-seat-polling-mandi-kangra-ECI-1161613.html#6">Follow for Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections live updates</a></strong></p>.<p>After casting his vote, Thakur urged the voters to come out in big numbers and enthusiastically participate in the "festival of democracy".</p>.<p>Ninety-year-old Nazrim Mani and his 87-year-old wife cast their votes at a model polling booth in a school that was opened in 1890 in Kalpa village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, election officials said.</p>.<p>Government Primary School in Kalpa, some 275 km from the state capital in the Kinnaur Assembly constituency, was the first school in the district.</p>.<p>He flashed his wrinkled inked finger after voting.</p>.<p>After casting the vote, Mani appealed to the voters in the state to participate in this festival of democracy with full enthusiasm.</p>.<p>Greeting the first-timers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the voters to participate in the election process.</p>.<p>About 30,000 security personnel, including 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and over 11,500 state police personnel have been deployed for peaceful conduct of polling.</p>.<p>In the 2017 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 44 seats, the Congress 21, the CPM one and Independents two. The voter turnout in the 2017 poll was 75.57 per cent.</p>.<p>The counting of votes for Saturday election will be held on December 8</p>
