Himachal Pradesh polls: Around 13 per cent voting recorded by 10am
Shimla, Nov 9 (IBNS): Polling for the single-phase assembly elections for 68 seats in Himachal Pradesh began at eight am on Thursday.
According to media reports, 13.27 per cent votes were polled till 10 am, with with 16 per cent in Shimla and 20 per cent in Shimla - rurl.
More than 10 of the new VVPAT machines and conventional EVMs have reportedly malfunctioned across the state.
More than 50 lakh people are expected to take part in the general polls in Himachal Pradesh.
The poll is witnessing heavyweights from both the BJP and the Congress battle it out for supremacy in the state.
Six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, 83, a prime Congress contestant, is the oldest candidate; his 27-year-old son Vikramaditya has also made his poll debut.
The octogenarian is likely to retain his position if his party is elected to power.
The junior Singh has been handed Simla (Rural), which originally belonged to his father, to battle it out against BJP's Pramod Sharma, a Virbhadra protege.
Two-time former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, BJP's chief ministerial candidate is contesting from Sujanpur.
The 73-year-old is pitted against Congress' Rajinder Rana, who is in his home turf and has already won the 2012 elections from the same seat.
Party-wise, both BJP and Congress, have fielded 68 candidates each, while BSP has fielded 42 candidates, followed by CPM with 14.
The CPI, NCP and the SP have fielded 3, 2 and 2 candidates, respectively.
The independent candidate count is 112.
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