As Himachal Pradesh goes to vote today - November 12, 2022 - the fate of its political leaders is all set to be decided for the next five years. The votes will be counted on December 8. The state saw some high-voltage political campaigning with political heavyweights across party lines campaigning in the state. This included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, among others. Here are 10 key points from today's upcoming polls:


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1) Voting is all set to take place on all the 68 Assembly seats of the state, the majority of which (44) had come in the BJP's kitty in the 2017 Assembly polls, with Congress being restricted to just 21 seats.


2) According to the Election Commission, there is a total of 55,92,828 electors of which 27,37,845 are women, 28,54,945 men, and 38 were third-gender. This time, the representation of woman candidates is 24.


3) The state has seen the power alternate between the BJP and Congress over the past several elections. But this time, the Aam Adami Party (AAP) too hopes to create a mark in the state and is contesting on all 68 seats.


4) Besides BJP, Congress, and AAP, parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (CPI), and Rashtriya Devbhumi Party (RDP) are in the fray.


5) According to Election Commission, a total of 7,881 polling stations have been set up for the polls. 


6) The Kangra district has a maximum of 1,625 polling stations while the Lahaul-Spiti district has the lowest 92.



Polling officials with EVMs and other election equipment wade through snow, on their way to polling stations ahead of Himachal Pradesh Assembly elections in Lahaul and Spiti district (Pic: PTI)
 


7) The key constituencies include Seraj from where Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur is contesting again. Congress has put up Chetram Thakur who had contested the seat last time also. Mahinder Rana is the CPI-M candidate.


8) About 50,000 government employees are on poll duty. Of the 7881 polling stations, 981 are critical and 901 have been categorised as vulnerable.


9) About 30,000 security personnel including 67 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and over 11,500 state police personnel will be deployed for the peaceful conduct of polling in Himachal Pradesh.


10) The state government has declared a public holiday on polling day for employees of government offices, boards, corporations, educational institutions, and industrial establishments in Himachal Pradesh.


(With ANI inputs)