Itanagar: Around 21 per cent of the 8,31,648 eligible voters had cast their ballots till noon on Monday in the elections to the panchayati raj institutions and civic bodies of Itanagar and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh, where polling is underway amid tight security arrangements, officials said.
Polling began at 7 am and witnessed a moderate turnout in the initial hours due to cold weather, before picking up pace later in the day.
Voter turnout in the panchayat elections stood at 20.45 per cent, while turnout for the Itanagar and Pasighat civic bodies was recorded at 19 per cent and 21 per cent respectively, State Election Commission (SEC) under-secretary Tage Nipa said.
To ensure smooth and peaceful polling, the SEC has deployed more than 40,000 security personnel along with around 15,000 polling staff across the state.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu cast his vote at the 11-Gyangkhar polling booth in Tawang district. In a post on X, Khandu said, “I exercised my democratic right by casting my vote at the 11-Gyangkhar polling booth in the panchayat elections. I appeal to the people of Arunachal Pradesh to come out in large numbers and vote responsibly in the panchayat elections and for the Itanagar Municipal Corporation and Pasighat Municipal Council.”
“Your vote is crucial for strengthening grassroots democracy, promoting community development, and securing a better future for our children,” he said.
The ruling BJP has already secured 58 zilla parishad constituencies unopposed, while the National People’s Party (NPP) has won one seat. Four BJP candidates have also been elected unopposed to the Itanagar Municipal Corporation. In addition, 5,037 BJP candidates for gram panchayat seats have been declared elected without contest.
Overall, 440 candidates are contesting for 186 zilla parishad seats, while 39 candidates are in the fray for 16 wards of the Itanagar Municipal Corporation and 21 candidates for eight wards of the Pasighat Municipal Council.
Of the total eligible voters, 7,59,210 are registered for panchayat elections and 72,438 for municipal polls. The SEC has set up 2,171 polling stations for panchayat elections, 67 for the IMC and 12 for the PMC.
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Electronic Voting Machines are being used for municipal elections, while ballot boxes are being used for panchayat polls. Counting of votes will take place on December 20.
