The first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections, which kickstarted on Wednesday, recorded a voter turnout of 64.86 per cent till 5 pm, said the Election Commission of India (ECI). The State’s polling percentage has bested its overall voter turnout of 63.9 per cent in the 2019 Assembly elections, owing to impressive turnout in naxal-affected areas.

Simultaneous bypolls were held in another 31 assembly constituencies across 10 States. Some of the high-profile contests include the Wayanad parliamentary seat in Kerala, where Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is contesting after his brother Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat to retain Rae Bareli constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

It is to be noted that the 2 assembly seats in Sikkim went uncontested.

‘Festive mood lingered in State’

“Voting commenced at 7 a.m. today and was held peacefully without any incidents of violence. As per updates till 5 p.m., voter turnout of 64.86 per cent was recorded at the polling stations in Jharkhand. It has already surpassed 63.9 per cent in 2019 assembly elections,” the EC said in a statement to media.

Polling continued at certain stations, where voters were waiting in the queue before the culmination of poll hours, said the Commission.

The EC said that festive mood lingered as voters, including debutants, from diverse groups like elderly, women, persons with disabilities and tribals were seen exercising their franchise across the 15 districts that went to poll, undeterred by threats and boycott calls.

Tribal hamlet’s first time voting

People of Lakhaidih village in Potka assembly seat (East Singhbhum district) with 100 per cent tribal population were exuberant as they cast their votes at a station set up in their village. Earlier, they had to travel to a nearby village, which is nearly 25 km via the main road and 4 km away if the dense forest and hilly route is resorted to, the EC stated.

In Budha Pahad area of Garhwa district, once considered a stronghold of extremists, long queues and peaceful polling at Hesatu polling station signalled the deep penetration of democratic ethos, the EC observed. This polling station was set up in the area for the Lok Sabha elections, allowing residents to vote in their own village.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar along with two Election Commissioners, Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, were on their toes monitoring the situation over 15,000 polling stations.

The provisional voter turnout figures of 64.86 percent as of 5 pm will be revised for each seat on the Voter Turnout App by the ROs, as and when the polling parties formally close the poll and return from the stations, informed the EC.

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