Jharkhand polls peaceful; 68 pc turnout recorded in 38 seats in final phase

STATE TIMES NEWS
Ranchi: Jharkhand witnessed peaceful polling in 38 seats in the second and final phase of assembly elections on Wednesday, with 68 per cent of 1.23 crore voters exercising their franchise amid tight security, officials said.
The turnout surpassed the 67.04 per cent voting in 2019, officials said.
With this, elections have concluded for the 81-member Jharkhand assembly. Polling in the first phase of elections to 43 seats on November 13 had seen over 66 per cent of 1.37 crore voters exercising their franchise.
“Approximately 67.71 per cent voter turnout was recorded as per data calculated till 8 pm. Jamtara district topped the chart with 76.16 per cent polling while Bokaro district recorded the lowest at 60.97 per cent,” a poll official said.
The overall polling percentage in the state surpassed 63.9 per cent recorded in the 2019 assembly polls, according to the Election Commission.
Polling began at 7 AM in 14,218 booths across 12 districts and continued till 5 PM. However, polling in 31 booths ended at 4 PM.
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.
Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said, “The election process was peaceful and remained free of incidents. Two FIRs were lodged for violating secrecy of voting against polling and presiding officers, including one in Gandey.”
IG (Operations) Amol V Homkar said polling was peaceful and the seizures crossed Rs 200 crore, including 163 crore by police.
Homkar said 891 booths in the second phase were in Maoist-affected areas and 6,828 booths in the critical category.
A total of 585 companies of para-military forces were deployed to conduct the elections, besides 60 companies of state armed forces and 26,000 Home Guard and police personnel with specialised forces like Cobra and Jaguar keeping a vigil.
“The borders with West Bengal and Bihar were sealed and 114 checkposts were erected besides 124 checkposts set up by neighbouring states,” he said.
With this, the fate of 528 candidates, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren (both JMM) and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri (BJP) has been sealed.
Besides, prominent among the candidates in this round include state BJP president and ex-CM Babulal Marandi, Assembly Speaker Ravindra Nath Mahto (JMM) and BJP ally AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto.
The highest turnout of 76.16 per cent was reported from Jamtara district, followed by 75.88 per cent from Pakur, 72.46 per cent from Deoghar and 72.04 per cent from Ranchi.
The lowest turnout was recorded in Bokaro district at 60.97 per cent.
In assembly constituencies, Maheshpur registered the highest voter turnout at 79.4 per cent, followed by the Nala segment at 78.75 per cent and Sarath in Deoghar at 77.94 per cent.
The Barhait seat where the CM is contesting reported a 66.13 per cent voter turnout.
The Gandey constituency, where his wife Kalpana Soren is seeking re-election, registered 72.83 per cent polling.
The lowest voter turnout was recorded in the Bokaro assembly seat at 50.52 per cent.
No violence was reported, barring Maoists torching five trucks in Latehar district hours before the commencement of polls.
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”.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren also said the second phase of polling would “play an important role in the creation of golden Jharkhand”.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also urged voters to participate in polling for a better future.
Of the total 14,218 polling stations, the responsibility of the entire voting process at 239 was in the hands of women and 22 were manned by persons with disabilities (PwDs).
Top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president JP Nadda and chief ministers of several states addressed a number of rallies where they attacked the JMM-led coalition over corruption and infiltration.
INDIA bloc leaders including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and his wife and legislator Kalpana Soren campaigned extensively, promising welfare schemes and accusing the BJP-led Centre of “unleashing” ED and CBI against the rival parties.
The BJP has fielded candidates in 68 seats while allies AJSU Party in 10, JD(U) in two and Lok Janshakti (Ram Vilas) in one.
In the INDIA bloc, JMM has fielded candidates in 43 seats, Congress 30, RJD 6 and CPI(ML) 4 with friendly fights in some seats.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the contest was close, with the JMM winning 30 seats and the BJP securing 25, down from 37 in 2014. The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won a comfortable majority with 47 seats.