Polling for presidential election concludes in HP

Shimla, Jul 19 (UNI) The polling for the 13th Presidential elections concluded peacefully here in Himachal Pradesh today with all the 67 members casting their votes, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Manisha Nanda said.

The polling process for the presidential elections was over by 1210 hrs when all the 67 members of the state assembly had polled their votes, she told UNI here.

Ms Nanda said suspended Congress leader Vijai Singh Mankotia was the last legislator to cast his votes in the elections after polling began at a brisk note early today with 66 members of the assembly polling their votes within the first 90 minutes.

The leader of the BJP group in the House ID Dhiman was the first to cast his vote followed by state Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh other Congress members and the remaining members.

State Assembly Speaker G R Musafir also cast his vote for the presidential elections, which are being contested between UPA candidate Pratibha Patil and NDA candidate and country's Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

The ballot papers after being sealed this evening would be sent to New Delhi tomorrow morning where the counting of votes would take place on July 21, she said.

The 68-member Himachal assembly had been reduced to 67 with the former chief minister and senior BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal being elected to the Lok Sabha from the Hamirpur Parliamentary seat recently.

A single vote of the HP Assembly has a value of 51 to have a combined value of 3,417 from the state.

The Congress has 43 members in the House with five associate members, BJP 17 besides an associate member in Naveen Dhiman and one member of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

UNI