Jharkhand polls: 28.56 per cent polling recorded till 11 am

RANCHI: An estimated 28.56 per cent of over 47 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 11am on Monday in the fourth phase of Jharkhand assembly elections in 15 constituencies, Election Commission (EC) officials said.

Polling, which began at 7am, is going on peacefully, they said.

Braving cold weather, voters, including women and senior citizens, were seen waiting in queues for their turn to cast their vote.

Voting will end at 3 pm at Jamua, Bagodar, Giridih, Dumri and Tundi while the exercise will continue till 5pm in the remaining seats, they said.

The seats going for polls in this phase are Deoghar (SC), Jamua (SC), Chandankiyari (SC), Madhupur, Bagodar, Gandey, Giridih, Dumri, Bokaro, Sindri, Nirsa, Dhanbad, Jharia, Tundi and Baghmara spread across four districts.

A total of 47,85,009 voters, including 22,44,134 women and 81 third-gender people, are eligible to decide the fate of 221 nominees in this phase.

Prominent among the candidates are state labour minister Raj Paliwar from Madhipur seat and land and revenue minister Amar Kumar Bauri from Chandankiyari constituency.

Jharkhand chief electoral officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said armed forces have been deployed in the Naxal-affected pockets.

Of the 6,101 polling stations, 1,133 have been marked 'critical' and 3,070 'sensitive'.

The ruling BJP, seeking to retain power, is contesting all 15 seats in this phase.

Opposition alliance of the JMM, the Congress and the RJD has fielded candidates in accordance with their pre-poll seat adjustment plans.

The fifth and final phase of Jharkhand polls for sixteen seats will be held on December 20. Counting process has been scheduled for December 23.