Ranchi, Jharkhand (November 13, 2024): A voter turnout of 59.28% was recorded till 3 p.m. on Wednesday in the first phase of the Jharkhand Assembly Elections, according to the Election Commission of India. Voting began in the morning for 43 out of the state’s 81 assembly seats.
As per the data shared by the ECI, the voter turnout in various constituencies until 3 p.m. was as follows:
- Chatra: 58.23%
- East Singhbhum: 58.72%
- Garhwa: 61.06%
- Gumla: 64.59%
- Hazaribagh: 57.16%
- Khunti: 63.35%
- Koderma: 58.13%
- Latehar: 62.81%
- Lohardaga: 65.99%
- Palamu: 56.57%
- Ramgarh: 59.22%
- Ranchi: 53.40%
- Seraikella-Kharsawan: 66.38%
- Simdega: 64.31%
- West Singhbhum: 60.35%
Security has been heightened with the Jharkhand Police deploying drones for surveillance in Ranchi.
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The polling, which started at 7:00 a.m., will continue until 5:00 p.m., with 950 sensitive booths closing at 4:00 p.m. The election will decide the fate of 683 candidates, including 73 women, vying for seats across 15 districts.
Over 200 companies of security forces have been deployed to ensure a smooth and secure election process. The BJP-led NDA is challenging the JMM-led coalition, with key figures such as former Chief Minister Champai Soren and Congress leader Ajoy Kumar in the race.
Notable candidates include Soren, contesting from Seraikela, and Ajoy Kumar, running in Jamshedpur East against Purnima Das Sahu, the daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Raghubar Das. In Jaganathpur, BJP’s Geeta Koda, wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda, is contesting against Congress leader Sona Ram Sinku.
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) has fielded sitting Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji from Ranchi.
Vote counting for the first phase is scheduled for November 23.