Campaigning for SMC poll ends

The week long high-pitched electioneering for the June 16 Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) poll came to a close this evening with Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh releasing the vision document of the Congress.
Former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal also held a roadshow for BJP backed candidates.
Nearly 126 candidates are in the fight, and 17 of the 34 wards have been reserved for women. The post of Mayor has also been reserved for woman from the scheduled caste.
The polling would take place on June 16 and the counting will be on June 17.
The BJP closed its campaign with Dhumal's roadshow while state transport Minister G S Bali, forest minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri and state Congress chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukkhu held rallies for party backed candidates.

The elections are not being fought on party symbols but the campaigns by three main contenders, Congress, BJP and CPI (M) were held on party lines.
There are 91,000 voters in the 34 wards, which have 153 polling booths. The district administration has identified 23 booths as "very sensitive" and 56 are "sensitive".