By IANS
Shimla : Three tribal assembly segments in Himachal Pradesh – Bharmaur, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur – will go to the polls Wednesday, about five weeks before elections in the rest of the state.
Voting will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. in the mountainous region where elections are being held early because of snow and extreme cold conditions. Lahaul and Spiti has already been cut off from the rest of the country following heavy snowfall on the high passes leading to the two valleys.
There are 127,793 voters in these three seats – Bharmaur has 55,108, Kinnaur 49,876 and Lahaul and Spiti, which is the largest assembly segment in the state, has the lowest number of voters at 22,809.
Hikkem in the Spiti valley is the highest polling station in the state (second highest in India) at around 15,000 ft and has only 318 voters.
Campaigning in the region had ended Monday. Top leaders of the state, including Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh of the Congress and BJP stalwarts Prem Kumar Dhumal and Shanta Kumar, have been canvassing for votes ahead of the polling.
A dozen candidates are contesting the three seats but the main fight will be between the arch-rivals Congress and BJP.
The rest of the 65 assembly seats will have polling on Dec 19. Counting will take place on Dec 28.