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SIMLA, Oct. 25.
INDIA’S first general elections, the biggest in the world, began today with the casting of votes by the people of Chini and Pangi tehsils of Himachal Pradesh on the country’s north border. The first votes were cast at 8 this morning.
Details of polling have not yet reached here, as there are no means of communication with the tehsils except a wireless link used for official purposes only.
Between today and November second, the 20,000 voters of these two tehsils will cast their votes to elect two representatives to the state’s 36-member Legislative Assembly and three to the House of People.
Polling in Chini, which is in the Mahasu district, will conclude on October 27, but in Pangi in the Chamba district, it will continue till November 2.
The voters of Chini will have plural votes in the choice of their representative to the House of People as the Mandi-Mahasu parliamentary constituency of which it is a part, has to return two candidates, including one scheduled caste member. Chamba-Sirmur parliamentary constituency, in which Pangi is included, has to elect only one member.
Results in the case of legislative assembly elections will be known within a week or ten days after the conclusion of polling, but those of parliamentary candidates will not be announced until polling in the rest of the state is concluded by the middle of December.
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