Himachal panchayat polls see huge turnout despite rain as voters show strong spirit

Polling for the third and final phase of Panchayati Raj elections in Himachal Pradesh recorded a very high voter turnout despite heavy rain in many parts of the state. According to officials, around 80.59 percent of eligible voters cast their votes on Saturday, showing strong enthusiasm for democracy at the village level.

From early morning, people were seen standing in long lines outside polling booths in villages and towns across the state. Young people, senior citizens and women all participated actively in the voting process. Even bad weather and rain did not stop people from stepping out to choose their local representatives.

The Panchayati Raj elections are important because they decide local leaders such as pradhans, up-pradhans, ward members, panchayat samiti members and zila parishad representatives. These elected members work on village development, roads, water supply, sanitation and local welfare issues.

Strong voter participation

Officials said that polling remained peaceful across the state and no major untoward incident was reported. Police and election staff ensured smooth arrangements at polling stations.

The final phase covered 1,189 gram panchayats. A total of 15,40,324 voters were eligible to vote, including 7,76,802 men, 7,63,517 women and five third-gender voters.

Among districts, Sirmaur recorded the highest turnout with around 85.18 percent voting. Kullu followed closely with around 84.66 percent, while Lahaul and Spiti recorded the lowest turnout at about 71.05 percent.

Several districts crossed the 80 percent voting mark. These included Sirmaur, Solan, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Chamba. Election officials said such high turnout reflects people’s trust in local democracy and governance.

The Panchayati Raj elections in Himachal Pradesh are being held in three phases. The first phase recorded about 78.9 percent turnout, while the second phase witnessed around 80 percent voting. Across all three phases, the overall voter turnout stood close to 81 percent.

Compared to the 2021 Panchayat elections, where around 78 percent voting was recorded, the latest elections saw even stronger public participation.

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Elderly voters inspire many

One of the biggest highlights of the election was the participation of elderly voters.

Many senior citizens travelled long distances or sought assistance to cast their votes. Their dedication inspired younger voters and became a strong symbol of democratic participation.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s 88-year-old mother, Sansar Dei, also came out to vote. Her participation attracted attention across the state.

In another inspiring example, 105-year-old Basanti Devi voted in Ward Kas of Kas Panchayat in Jogindernagar Assembly constituency. Similarly, 105-year-old Draupadi Devi from Gunsawai village also cast her vote at a polling station in Dharampur Development Block.

In Bilaspur district’s Naghiyar Panchayat, villagers carried a person who could not walk to the polling station using a makeshift palanquin. The act showed the strong community spirit and importance people give to voting.

Officials and locals praised such efforts and called them examples of democracy in action.

Women lead in voting

Women once again outperformed men in voter participation.

According to election officials, women recorded a voting percentage of around 83.55 percent, while men recorded around 77.69 percent in most districts.

Only Shimla district saw a slightly higher percentage of male voters compared to female voters.

In Sirmaur district, women recorded the highest turnout at nearly 86 percent. Officials said women have increasingly become active participants in village governance and decision-making.

The high participation of women is seen as a positive sign for grassroots democracy because it reflects stronger public involvement in village development matters.

Special arrangements at polling stations

Election authorities introduced several measures to make voting easier and more organised.

Different coloured ballot papers were used for different positions. White ballots were used for ward members, yellow for up-pradhans, green for pradhans, pink for panchayat samiti members and blue for zila parishad members.

This colour system helped reduce confusion among voters and polling staff.

In Mandi district, a unique healthcare initiative was launched at the Randhara Model Polling Station. A free health check-up camp was organised for voters. Around 162 people underwent screening for non-communicable diseases, while X-rays were also conducted for many visitors.

Officials said the idea was to create awareness about health while encouraging people to vote.

A unique mix of culture and democracy

A special example of local tradition and democracy was seen in Kullu district.

At the Kandha polling station in Talada Gram Panchayat, polling staff conducted voting while sitting on the floor instead of using chairs and tables. This was done out of respect for local religious customs connected to deity Garg Rishi.

According to local traditions, people in some parts of the village avoid sitting on chairs or sleeping on beds. Election staff respected these beliefs and arranged the polling booth accordingly.

The scene highlighted how local culture and democratic practices can work together.

Minor issues during polling

Although polling was mostly smooth, a few minor issues were reported.

In Kullu district’s Manglaur Panchayat, voting briefly stopped after officials noticed that the names of two Block Development Council candidates had been printed next to the wrong election symbols. Authorities cancelled the incorrect ballot papers and later resumed voting.

Repolling also took place in one ward in Rampur after officials found a mistake involving the use of an incorrect stamp during earlier voting.

In another ward in Chamba district, polling was successfully completed after being postponed earlier.

Election officials said all problems were quickly resolved and did not affect the overall voting process.

The Panchayati Raj elections will choose 31,182 representatives across the state, including pradhans, up-pradhans, ward members, panchayat samiti members and zila parishad representatives.

Officials said counting of votes for panchayats would begin immediately after polling, while counting for zila parishads, panchayat samitis and municipal corporations would take place separately.

Despite rain and difficult weather, Himachal Pradesh once again showed strong democratic participation, proving that people remain deeply connected to village governance and local leadership.