HimVani

Shimla: If campaigning for the Vidhan Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh proved a tough job for political parties owing to inclement weather, voters may have to face even extreme conditions when they set out of their homes to decide the fate of 324 candidates on Wednesday. According to the meteorological department, the Western Disturbances may cause rain in many parts of the state and even snowfall in some regions. Though the department has forecasted that temperature may rise by few degrees due to the Western Disturbances, rain may prove the actual dampener.
The state election commission claimed to have made elaborate arrangement to make polling possible with about 40,000 polling staff deployed in the 65 assembly seats. But inclement weather may anyway hinder the polling process in about 576 polling stations spread over six districts in the mountainous belt.
Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami has assured that a contingency plan is in place for 245 polling booths in Shimla district, 123 in Mandi, 89 is Sirmaur, 83 in Chamba, 28 in Kullu and eight in Kangra district that could be affected by bad weather.