Polling peaceful, 68 pc turnout recorded till 5 PM in final phase of Jharkhand assembly polls

RANCHI: Polling was peaceful on Wednesday as nearly 68 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in 38 constituencies in Jharkhand where voting for the second and final phase of the assembly elections ended, officials said.

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. People standing in the queue at those hours were allowed 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 67.59 per cent was recorded till 5 PM. Voting has been peaceful," an Election Commission official said.

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 72.01 per cent from Ranchi.

Ramgarh registered a turnout of 71.98 per cent, followed by Dumka 71.74 per cent, Godda 67.24 per cent, Sahebganj 65.63 per cent, Giridih 65.89 per cent, Hazaribag 64.41 per cent and Dhanbad 63.39 per cent.

The lowest turnout was recorded in Bokaro district at 60.97 per cent till 5 PM.

As far as assembly constituencies are concerned, the Maheshpur seat registered the highest voter turnout at 79.4 per cent, followed by Nala segment at 78.75 per cent and Sarath in Deoghar at 77.94 per cent.

Silli in Ranchi from where BJP ally AJSU Party's chief Sudesh Mahto is contesting recorded a turnout of 76.7 per cent.

The Barhait seat where Chief Minister Hemant Soren is contesting reported a 66.13 per cent voter turnout.

The Gandey assembly constituency, where the chief minister's wife Kalpana Soren is seeking re-election, registered 72.83 per cent polling.

The lowest voter turnout was recorded in Bokaro assembly seat at 50.52 per cent.

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.

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".

Chief Minister Hemant Soren 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 in a post on X.

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 was in the hands of women and 22 were 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.