Shimla, May 19: Polling in all the four parliamentary seats in Himachal Pradesh in the seventh phase began at 7 AM amid tight security arrangements. The four seats that went to polls for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday include Mandi, Hamirpur, Kangra and Shimla. The voter turnout in all the four seats in Himachal Pradesh that went to poll in the seventh phase was 71.73% in the General Elections 2019. It is the highest ever voter turnout in the state. The final phase of Lok Sabha Polls on Sunday was held in 59 parliamentary constituencies spread across seven states and one Union Territory. Over 10 crore voters decided the fate of 918 candidates in this phase of poll. Till 5 pm, 58.94 percent voter turnout was recorded in the state. Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 7 Voting: Which Constituencies Are Going to Polls on May 19? 

All parliamentary constituencies in Bihar (8), Jharkhand (3), Madhya Pradesh (8), Punjab (13), West Bengal (9), Chandigarh (1), Uttar Pradesh (13) and Himachal Pradesh (4) will go for polling in the seventh phase. In Himachal Pradesh, there are over 53 lakh electors and 7,730 polling stations have been set up for smooth conduct of polls.

In the BJP-ruled Himachal Pradesh, the most keenly watched seats are two 'prestige' seats -- Mandi and Hamirpur as there will be a in a battle of supremacy between two BJP leaders, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and his two-time predecessor Prem Kumar Dhumal, who has been almost marginalised in state politics after a humiliating defeat in the 2017 Assembly polls. Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Schedule: Voting In 7 Phases From April 11 to May 19, Counting And Results On May 23; Check All Dates For General Elections.

Kangra, which is the largest Lok Sabha constituency in the state in terms of voters, the BJP has fielded Cabinet Minister Kishan Kapoor against Congress two-time legislator Pawan Kajal. Meanwhile in Shimla, Retired Colonel Dhani Ram Shandil, 78, is the Congress candidate against Bharatiya Janata Party nominee and former Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Suresh Kashyap.

In December 2017, the BJP took power of Himachal Pradesh from the Congress after winning 44 seats in the 68-member Assembly. The Congress won 21 seats, independents two and the Communist Party of India-Marxist one.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 19, 2019 07:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).