Himachal Pradesh polls: "87 pc postal ballots received before counting of votes, 17 pc higher than 2017", says CEO Maneesh Garg

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 7 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maneesh Garg on Wednesday said that 87 per cent of the postal ballots issued to employees deployed on election duty have been received back before the counting of votes, which is 17 per cent higher than 2017.
He said that out of the postal ballots issued to employees deployed on election duty, 52,859 postal ballots, have been received back by Tuesday (December 6) by the returning officers all over the state.
"This is approximately 87 per cent," he pointed out.
"Also, the overall number of postal ballots issued to the employees on election duty increased by nearly 11 per cent in 2022 as compared to 2017," said Garg.
Accordingly, the postal ballots of such employees received back as compared to the 2017 elections has also witnessed an increase of nearly 17 per cent, he claimed.
"The postal ballots received by employees on election duty were 45,126 in 2017. While in present assembly elections, the number of postal ballots received by Monday evening is 52,859," he pointed out.
The counting of votes for assembly elections 2022 will start at 68 counting halls in 59 locations throughout the state on Thursday morning. Around 10,000 employees including security personnel have been deployed to ensure the smooth counting of votes, said officials.