21 per cent voter turnout recorded till noon in Arunachal panchayat, civic polls

Around 21 per cent of the total 8,31,648 eligible voters had cast their ballots till 12 noon on Monday, December 15 in the elections to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies in Arunachal Pradesh, officials said.

Polling began at 7 am across the state amid tight security arrangements. The initial turnout remained moderate owing to cold weather conditions, but voter participation gradually improved as the day progressed.

According to State Election Commission (SEC) under-secretary Tage Nipa, voter turnout in the panchayat elections stood at approximately 20.45 per cent by noon. Meanwhile, polling for the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC) recorded turnout figures of 19 per cent and 21 per cent, respectively.

To ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of the elections, 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. Urging citizens to actively participate in the democratic process, Khandu appealed to voters to turn out in large numbers and exercise their franchise responsibly.

“I exercised my democratic right by casting my vote 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,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X. He further emphasised that every vote plays a vital role in strengthening grassroots democracy, promoting community development, and ensuring a better future for coming generations.

Meanwhile, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already secured a significant number of seats unopposed. The party has won 58 zilla parishad constituencies without contest, while the National People’s Party (NPP) secured one such seat. Additionally, four BJP candidates were elected unopposed to the Itanagar Municipal Corporation.

At the gram panchayat level, as many as 5,037 BJP candidates have been declared elected uncontested.

Altogether, 440 candidates are contesting for 186 zilla parishad seats, while 39 candidates are vying for 16 wards of the IMC and 21 candidates are in the fray for eight wards of the Pasighat Municipal Council.

Of the total electorate, 7,59,210 voters are eligible to participate in panchayat elections, while 72,438 voters are registered for municipal polls. The SEC has set up 2,171 polling stations for panchayat elections, along with 67 stations for the IMC and 12 for the PMC.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are being used for the municipal elections, whereas ballot boxes are deployed for the panchayat polls. Counting of votes is scheduled to take place on December 20.

In view of the elections, the Arunachal Pradesh government declared December 15 as a paid public holiday. An order issued by Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta stated that all government offices, banks, educational institutions, and business establishments would remain closed for the day. The order further clarified that private sector employees would also be entitled to a holiday without any deduction in wages, in accordance with the Representation of the People Act, 1951.