Sorens in fray as Jharkhand votes in 2nd phase of assembly polls

Polling for 38 assembly seats in the second and final phase of Jharkhand elections commenced on Wednesday, amid tight security arrangements, officials said.

IMAGE: People queue up for voting at a polling booth in Dumka, Jharkhand, in second phase of assembly polls on Wednesday. Photograph: ANI on X

Voting began at 7 am in 14,218 booths across 12 districts and will continue till 5 pm.

However, polling in 31 booths will end at 4 pm though people standing in the queue at that time will be able to exercise their franchise, the officials said.

A total of 1.23 crore voters, including 60.79 lakh women and 147 third-gender electors, are eligible to exercise their franchise on Wednesday.

Altogether 528 candidates, including Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri of the Bharatiya Janata Party, are trying their luck in the second phase of the elections.

Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, 'Today is the second and last phase of the great festival of democracy in Jharkhand. I urge all voters to participate in it enthusiastically and create a new record of voting. On this occasion, I especially congratulate all my young friends who are going to vote for the first time. Your every vote is the strength of the state.'

Eighteen of the 38 constituencies are in the Santhal Pargana region comprising six districts -- Godda, Deoghar, Dumka, Jamtara, Sahibganj and Pakur.
The remaining 18 seats are in the North Chotanagpur division and two in South Chotanagpur.

Of the total 14,218 polling stations, the responsibility of the entire voting process at 239 is in the hands of women and 22 are manned by persons with disabilities (PwDs), Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) K Ravi Kumar said.

The ruling JMM-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) is seeking to retain power riding on its welfare schemes, while the BJP-headed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is trying to wrest it.

The first phase of elections was held on November 13, and the counting of votes will take place on November 23.