Over 61 pc voter turnout till 3 PM in final phase of Jharkhand assembly polls

Ranchi, Nov 20 (PTI) Over 61 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 PM on Wednesday in 38 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand where voting is underway in the second and final phase, officials said.

Polling began at 7 AM in 14,218 booths across 12 districts and will continue till 5 PM.

However, polling in 31 booths was scheduled to end at 4 PM though people standing in the queue at that time would be able to exercise their franchise, the officials said.

The ruling JMM-led INDIA bloc is seeking to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, while the BJP-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is trying to wrest it.

“A voter turnout of 61.47 per cent was recorded till 3 PM. Voting has been peaceful,” an Election Commission official said.

The highest turnout of 69.31 per cent was reported from Pakur district, followed by 68.24 per cent from Jamtara, 66.02 per cent from Ramgarh and 65.84 per cent from Ranchi.

Dumka registered a turnout of 64.79 per cent, Deoghar 64.55 per cent, Godda 62.91 per cent, Sahebganj 60.08 per cent, Hazaribag 58.16 per cent and Bokaro 56.38 per cent.

The lowest turnout was recorded in Dhanbad district at 56.32 per cent till 3 PM.

A total of 1.23 crore voters, including 60.79 lakh women and 147 third-gender electors, were eligible to exercise their franchise on Wednesday, another official said.

As far as assembly constituencies are concerned, the Maheshpur seat registered the highest voter turnout at 74 per cent, followed by Nala segment at 72.34 per cent and Silli at 71.26 per cent.

BJP ally AJSU Party’s chief Sudesh Mahto is contesting from Silli.

The lowest polling was recorded in Dhanbad constituency with 45.14 per cent.

The Barhait seat where Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting reported a 59.73 per cent voter turnout.

The Gandey assembly constituency, where the chief minister’s wife Kalpana Soren is seeking re-election, registered 65.21 per cent polling.

Altogether 528 candidates are trying their luck in the second phase of the elections.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged electors to participate in the great festival of democracy in Jharkhand, and asserted that “your every vote is the strength of the state”.

The CM also said the second phase of polling would “play an important role in the creation of golden Jharkhand”.

“In the first phase of voting, people of 43 assembly constituencies exercised their franchise with enthusiasm. All sections voted for their rights and a strong Jharkhand. Those who were conspiring against Jharkhand were given a befitting reply,” Soren said on the microblogging site.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also urged voters to participate in polling for a better future.

Eighteen of the 38 constituencies are in the Santhal Pargana region comprising six districts – Godda, Deoghar, Dumka, Jamtara, Sahibganj and Pakur.

The remaining 18 seats are in the North Chotanagpur division and two in South Chotanagpur.

Of the total 14,218 polling stations, the responsibility of the entire voting process at 239 is in the hands of women and 22 are manned by persons with disabilities (PwDs), Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar said.

The first phase of elections was held on November 13, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.