37 candidates lose deposit in Himachal Lok Sabha polls

Shimla:As many as 37 candidates, including all the four BSP contestants, lost their security deposit in Himachal Pradesh Lok Sabha polls, a state election officer said Friday.

None of the 37 out of the total 45 candidates for the four Lok Sabha seats in the state could even get the minimum required one-sixth (16.67 per cent) of the total polled valid votes to save their security deposit of Rs. 25,000.

The highest number of 15 candidates, including Daleep Singh Kaith (CPM, 14838 votes) and Ses Ram (BSP, 9060 votes) lost their security deposit in Mandi, followed by nine each in Hamirpur and Kangra and four in Shimla parliamentary constituency.

Interestingly, BSP candidates in Shimla, Hamirpur and Kangra seats polled less than NOTA votes.

BSP candidate Kehar Singh had to satisfy himself with only 8866 votes in Kangra from where 11327 voters opted for NOTA.

In Shimla, BSP candidate Vikram Singh polled just 7759 votes, whereas 8357 electors opted for NOTA.

Similarly Desh Raj of BSP could get only 7095 votes in Hamirpur whereas NOTA polled 8026 votes here.

The BJP won all the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh.