Overview
- The three-phase rural elections concluded on Saturday, May 30, with overall turnout reported around 81 percent across 1,189 gram panchayats in the final leg.
- Women outvoted men in nine of the state’s 12 districts, with official data showing female turnout around 83.6 percent versus 77.8 percent for men.
- Voting used colour-coded ballot papers rather than party symbols and saw 10,854 office-bearers elected unopposed before polling, part of a wider exercise to fill 31,182 seats for local bodies.
- The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms and strong winds, and reports of heavy hail and rain caused localized crop damage and difficult voting conditions in some high-altitude areas.
- Officials said polling was largely peaceful but noted isolated protests such as a full boycott by about 288 voters in a Hamirpur ward; gram panchayat results were due the same day and counting for panchayat samiti and zila parishad seats is scheduled for May 31.