Chandigarh/Dehradun, Jan 30 : Polling began on a brisk note in Punjab, while in Uttarakhand it was a bit dull early in the morning today.

Voting started across 19,841 polling stations in Punjab’s 117 assembly seats at 8 a.m. Despite the winter chill, some polling booths, especially in rural areas, saw people lined up for voting before the booths were officially opened at 8 a.m.

Over 73,000 security personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth and peaceful polling.

The fate of 1,078 candidates, including 417 independents and 93 women, will be decided by the over 1.76 crore eligible voters.

In Uttarkhand, voting began on a dull note. Former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank cast his vote at a polling booth in Vijay Colony in Dehradun.

A total of 788 candidates are trying their luck from 70 constituencies in the State where over 63 lakh electorates are expected to exercise their franchise.