13 November,2024 11:41 AM IST | Ranchi | mid-day online correspondent
Pic/PTI
The voter turnout for the first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections was nearly 13.04 per cent till 9 am on Wednesday, officials said, PTI reported.
According to PTI, polling for the 43 assembly seats of Jharkhand began around 7 am across 15 districts and will go on till 5 pm.
A total of 683 candidates are contesting, including former CM Champai Soren and ex-MP Geeta Kora.
As per officials, polling in 950 booths will end at 4 pm, though the people standing in the queue will be able to exercise their franchise.
Long queues of voters were seen outside several voting booths this morning.
The highest voter turnout was recorded in the Simdega seat at 15.09 per cent, followed by Ranchi at 12.06 per cent and Seraikela-Kharsawan at 14.62 per cent, PTI reported.
The Governor of Jharkhand Santosh Kumar Gangwar has cast his vote at the ATI polling booth in the state's capital Ranchi.
"Today is the first phase of voting for the Jharkhand Assembly elections. I urge all voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote as soon as possible and vote with full enthusiasm in this festival of democracy. Remember, first vote and then refreshment!" Gangwar said.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren sought the people's support.
In a post on X, he said, "If you like our work, please support us. I promise that I will do 10 years of work in the next 5 years so that no one can stop our pace of progress."
While the JMM-coalition is hoping to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, including Maiyan Saman Yojna, the Bharatiya Janata Party has been campaigning with its aggressive Hindutva agenda, accusing the government of infiltration and alleged corruption.
Top BJP leaders, which includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP chief JP Nadda, held multiple rallies where they criticised the JMM-led coalition of alleged corruption and infiltration.
INDIA bloc leader, which includes Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, its president Mallikarjun Kharge, Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and his wife and legislator Kalpana Soren highlighted welfare schemes and criticised the BJP-led Centre for making all the central agencies, including ED, CBI and I-T against the opposition leaders.
A total of 1.37 crore voters are eligible to vote on Wednesday, PTI reported.
Altogether 683 candidates - 60 men, 73 women and third gender persons are contesting in the 43 seats.
According to PTI, out of 43 assembly seats in Jharkhand, 17 seats are reserved for general, 20 for scheduled tribes and 6 seats for scheduled castes.
A total of 15,344 polling stations have been set up for the first phase of Jharkhand elections.
Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said that all the preparations for voting have been completed, PTI cited.
The responsibility of the entire polling process at 1,152 polling stations will be in the hands of women, said Kumar, further adding that the 24 booths will be manned by people who are handicapped.
Since the Model Code of Conduct has been in force, a total of Rs 208.78 crore worth of illegal material and cash has been seized, he said, PTI cited.
Till Tuesday, 58 cases have been registered for violation of the Model Code of Conduct, including a maximum of 29 registered cases in Jharkhand's Garhwa district.
Both the NDA and INDIA blocs have pulled out all the stops to ensure their victories in this election with the BJP focusing on 'Roti, Beti, Maati' and the INDIA bloc on the 'suppression of the voice of a tribal CM'. PM Modi did a mega road show in Ranchi on Sunday which saw huge crowds gathered.
As far as key seats are concerned - former CM Champai Soren, contesting on the BJP ticket in Jharkhand's Seraikela, is facing JMM's Ganesh Mahli.
BJP's Geeta Kora, wife of former CM Madhu Koda, is in competition with Congress's Sona Ram Sinku in Jagannathpur.
Congress veteran Rameshwar Oraon will compete against AJSU's Shanti Bhagat in Lohardaga.
In Jamshepur West, JD (U) candidate Saryu Roy is up against Congress's Banna Gupta, PTI reported.
The second phase of Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024 will be held on November 20, while the vote counting will be on November 23.
The 2019 Jharkhand assembly elections saw close competition with the JMM winning 30 seats and the BJP winning 25, down from 37 seats in 2014.
The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance won a majority with 47 seats.
At present, the strength of the assembly stands at 74, with the JMM-led ruling alliance comprising 26 from the JMM, 17 from Congress and one from RJD, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI)
