Second phase elections: Jharkhand polls peaceful, 32 percent voting in first four hours

Polling was going on peacefully and 32.10 per cent of the total 44,31,900 voters exercised their franchise in the first four hours, Election Commission sources said.

Long queues were seen in the Maoist-hit areas, where election is being held amid tight security.

Till 11 AM, Baharagora constituency registered the maximum voter turnout of 44.38 percent followed by Jagannathpur 43 percent, Majhgaon 40 percent and Tamar 29 percent, the sources said.

Barring a defective EVM machine being replaced in Jaganathpur, polling is incident-free, the sources said. Former Chief Minister Madhu Koda and his MLA wife Gita Koda cast their votes in Jaganathpur constituency.

While Koda is contesting from Majhgaon (ST) seat, his wife is fighting from Jaganathpur (ST) constituency.

Another former Chief Minister Arjun Munda and his wife Meera Munda also exercised his franchise from Kharsawan, from where he is contesting for the fifth time.

BJP Vice President and former deputy chief minister Raghuvar Das cast his franchise in Jamshedpur (East), while his BJP colleague and candidate from Jamshedpur (WEST) Saryu Roy also cast his vote.

Tata Steel Managing Director T V Narendra and his wife Ruchi Narendran also voted in Jamshedpur. Besides women, a large number of youths were seen waiting in serpentine queues in the steel city.

Khunti SDO-cum-returning officer Ramesh Gholak said voting was going on peacefully.

A total of 44,31,900 voters, including 21,72,982 women, are eligible to cast their franchise in 5,048 polling stations to elect 223 candidates, including 35 women.

Besides former Chief Ministers Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda, former deputy chief minister Raghubar Das (Jamshedpur East), three state ministers including Agriculture minister Banna Gupta (Jamshedpur-West), HRD minister Geetashree Oraon (Sisai), Industries minister Champai Soren (Seraikella), several sitting and former MLAs are trying their luck.

First phase polling was held in 13 Maoist-affected seats of the state on November 25 last which witnessed a turnout of 62 percent.

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Second phase assembly elections: Brisk polling recorded in Jharkhand, moderate in Jammu and Kashmir

Moderate to brisk voting was on Tuesday recorded in the first couple of hours in the nine seats in Jammu and as many in Kashmir Valley with boycott calls by separatists and militants and the cold weather failing to dampen the enthusiasm of voters who queued up in large
numbers.

Nearly 10 percent of the 15.35 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling while serpentine queues could be seen at many polling stations as voters waited for their turn.

Voting for the second phase of elections in 18 seats in Jammu and Kashmir and 20 spread across seven Maoist-hit tribal districts of Jharkhand began on Tuesday morning, amid tight security. Nearly five percent voter turn out was recorded in the first one hour. Polling was by and large peaceful.

Serpentine queues could be seen at many polling stations as voters waited for their turn.

According to official figures, Lolab Assembly segment recorded the highest turnout of 10.5 per cent in the first hour of polling.

The highest voter turnout 19.95 percent  in the first two hours was recorded in Reasi constituency, while the lowest of around 2 percent was witnessed in Homeshallibugh.

An average of 15 percent voting was seen across the 18 constituencies. Voters in Udhampur, Chenani, Ramnagar and Reasi constituencies, as well as in Gulabgarh, Gool Arnas, Mendhar and Poonch Havelli constituencies of the Jammu region waited patiently for their turn to vote.

In the Kashmir Valley, the turnout was low in the initial hour due to the winter cold, but it gained momentum as the day progressed.

Voters could not come out in large numbers in south Kashmir's Devsar, Homeshallibugh, Noorabad and Kulgam constituencies initially. In the north Kashmir Kupwara district also where polling has begun for five constituencies, the voter turnout was low in the morning.

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26.5 percent votes till 11 am, sporadic incidents in Jharkhand polls

Chief Electoral Officer P K Jajoria said barring reports of a couple of sporadic incidents, voting was "progressing peacefully with an impressive turnout of voters".

A landmine was detected at Hariharganj under Hussainabad Assembly constituency in Palamau district and was defused, he said. A couple of "fake explosives" were also recovered and there was no cause for worry, he said. Para-military forces were manning the areas, he said.

26.5 percent polling was reported till 11 AM and Jajoria said he expected better polling percentage this time than the previous elections.

Voting was picking up in the rural areas, he said. Braving the chill, women in large numbers had lined up in front of the polling booths even before polling began at 7 AM. Voting will end at 3 PM.

All the 13 seats are spread over the six Maoist affected districts of Palamu, Gumla, Lohardaga, Chatra, Garhwa and Latehar.

Ten sitting MLAs, including one minister, and several former ministers are among 199 candidates trying their luck today.

The Assembly seats going to polls include Chatra (SC), Gumla (ST), Bishunpur (ST), Lohardaga (ST), Manika (ST), Latehar (SC), Panki and Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Chhatarpur (SC), Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur.

A total of of 33,61,938, including 15,77,090 women voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase to choose among the candidates, including 18 women and 72 independents.

This is the third Assembly election in Jharkhand which was carved out of Bihar in 2000.

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