Final phase of Jharkhand polls records 67.59% turnout

Polling was peaceful; Maheshpur records highest turnout of 79.4%, whereas Bokaro seat registers 50.52%

Polling in 38 constituencies (14,218 booths) in the second and final phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections concluded on Wednesday (November 20, 2024) peacefully with a better turnout of voters compared to the first phase.

Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Jharkhand, Neha Arora said that till 5 p.m., a turnout of 67.59% was recorded. In comparison to the first phase of polling which witnessed 66.65% voting, the percentage of the second phase was higher.

Also read | Jharkhand Elections 2024 highlights

Polling was held in 12 districts and the Maheshpur seat recorded a highest turnout of 79.4%, followed by Nala at 78.75% and the Sarath constituency 77.94%.

The Bokaro seat witnessed the lowest voting with just 50.52%. In Dhanbad it was 52.31% and in Jharia 55.23%. In the rest of the constituencies, the turnout was above 60%.

Likely to increase

Ms. Arora said 63 ballot units, 45 control units and 186 VVPATs were replaced during voting. She said the voting percentage was likely to increase, as voters were standing in queue at some places and the final figures would be available by Thursday afternoon.

Chief Electoral Officer K. Ravi Kumar said that with the cooperation of everyone, the second phase of polling was completed peacefully. He said electronic voting machines would be sealed in the strong room after scrutiny by Thursday afternoon.

Mr. Kumar said five cases were registered for violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and action was being taken. He was holding a joint press conference with State Police Nodal Officer A.V. Homkar at Nirvachan Sadan, Dhurva.

Mr. Homkar said that after the voting, the polling personnel were returning to their destinations with EVMs under tight security. In the second phase, 891 booths were sensitive regarding Naxalites, whereas 6,828 booths were in the critical category.

In the second phase, the BJP fielded candidates in 32 seats and its alliance partner All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) fielded nominees in six seats.

In INDIA bloc, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) is contesting in 20 seats, the Congress 13, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) four and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) two seats.

The JMM and the CPI (ML) are into a friendly contest in the Dhanwar constituency whereas the Congress and the RJD have a friendly fight in Chattarpur and Bishrampur constituencies.

A total of 1.23 crore voters exercised their franchise in 38 seats.

Prominent faces

Among the prominent faces whose fate has been sealed in the EVMs include Chief Minister Hemant Soren (Barhait), his wife Kalapana Soren (Gandey), his brother Basant Soren (Dumka), BJP State president Babulal Marandi (Dhanwar), Amar Kumar Bauri, Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly (Chandankiyari), Shibu Soren’s daughter-in-law Sita Soren (Jamtara) and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president Sudhesh Mahato (Silli).

Mr. Hemant Soren posted a message on social media platform X saying, “On this auspicious occasion, I bow down to each voter, to the dutiful polling officials, to the dedicated workers of JMM and INDIA bloc, and to the workers of all political parties who have strengthened democracy. Jharkhand is winning and will win.”

Mr. Marandi claimed that the Soren government was set to go and the BJP-led NDA would form the government with a thumping majority.

Published - November 20, 2024 10:10 pm IST