Ranchi (Jharkhand): Polling began on Saturday in 16 constituencies with Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren contesting in two seats in the fifth and final round of elections for the 81-seat state assembly.
Amid adequate security deployment, the exercise began at 7 am and will end at 3 pm in all the seats - Rajmahal, Borio (ST), Barhait (ST), Litipara (ST), Pakur, Maheshpur (ST), Sikaripara (ST), Nala, Jamtara, Dumka (ST), Jama (ST), Jarmundi, Sarath, Poreyahat, Godda and Mahagama.
Over 34.94 per cent voting was registered till 11 am of polling in 16 assembly seats in tribal Santhal Parganas in Jharkhand in the fifth and final phase of polling.
People queued up at the polling stations braving the winter morning chill and voting, which began at 7 AM, picked up as the day progressed.
The constituency-wise voting percentage till 9 AM was 15 per cent at Rajmahal, 17 per cent at Borio, 15 per cent at Barhait, 14 per cent at Littipara, 16 per cent at Pakur, 15 per cent at Maheshpur and 15 per cent at Shikaripara, an Election Commission release said.
At Nala it was 11 per cent, at Jamtara 13, Dumka 11, Jama 14, Jarmundi 12, Sarath 14.25, Poreyahat 14.6, Godda 15 and Mahagama 15.2 per cent, the release said.
A report from Pakur said voters of booth number 134 in Litipara constituency did not turn up in protest against lack of basic amenities.
Voting, however, resumed after polling and administrative officials convinced them that their demands would be looked into.
The constituencies are spread over six districts - Dumka, Pakur, Godda, Sahibganj, Jamtara and some parts of Jarmundi seat coming under Deogarh district.
There are nine general seats and seven reserved for tribals.
In all 36,90,069 voters, including 17,84,486 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise to choose among 208 candidates, 16 of them women.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Assembly Speaker Shashank Sekhar Bhokta are among the 208 candidates.
Soren is contesting from two seats----Dumka and Barhait. He had won from Dumka in the 2009 polls and is facing challenge from former JMM veteran and present BJP candidate Hemlal Murmu from Barhait, a seat Murmu had won last time as JMM candidate.
Soren's opponent in Dumka is, among others, BJP’s L Marandi.
The Assembly Speaker is contesting from Sarath while Rural Works Minister and JMM candidate Lobin Hembrom is the lone minister in the Soren Cabinet contesting from Borio constituency.
Soren's sister-in-law Sita Murmu nee Soren, who is among the 16 JMM candidates in the last leg of the assembly elections, is seeking re-election from Jama.
The BJP has nominated 15 candidates, including one women, in the final phase of the elections.
The Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded 12 candidates, including one woman while the Congress has 11 candidates, including two women.
Babulal Marandi's Jharkhand Vikas Morcha has nominated 15 and the RJD six candidates.
The CPI (M) has nominated six while the CPI has four contestants in the fray and the NCP two candidates.
There are as many as 65 independents.
In all, 4,448 Polling Stations (Including Auxiliary- 30) have been set up with 149 being in urban areas.
As many as 833 of them are marked as hypersensitive and 1,496 sensitive while 291 polling stations will have Web Casting.
A total of 22,240 polling personnel, 16 general observers, 10 expenditure observers, 3 police observers, one awareness observer and 1,050 micro observers are deployed to oversee the democratic exercise.
Former minister Hari Narayan Ray, who is on bail in connection with corruption charges, is trying his luck from Jarmundi on JMM ticket after winning the seat as independent last time.
The previous four phase of elections concluded on November 25, December 2, 9 and 14.
The counting will be taken up on December 23.
Jammu: Braving winter chill, nearly 30 percent of the electorate on Saturday exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling in 20 constituencies in the final phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and four of his cabinet colleagues are among 312 candidates whose fate will be decided in the third phase of polling today in the 20 seats spread across Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts.
At many places, voters lined up at polling stations much before the start of the voting time at 8 AM.
Despite cold weather, people were seen marching towards the polling booths and long queues of electorate were seen outside the polling booths to exercise their franchise.
In Bishnah constituency at polling station 27, out of the total 640 votes, 72 have already been cast in the first hour of polling. At polling Station 28, out of 706 votes, 81 have already been cast.
Similarly, in Suchategarh constituency, at polling station 23, out of 1009, 107 have already been cast, whereas, in polling station 28, out of 940 votes, 122 have already been cast during the first hour.
Giving details, the Elections officials said while Akhnoor border constituency in Jammu district witnessed the highest 19.26 per cent of the voters casting their ballot, Rajouri segment registered lowest 4.61 per cent voting.
R S Pura border constituency saw 19 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise, Nagorta 17 per cent while Raipur Domana saw over 16.69 per cent voters casting their ballot, Chhamb and Suchetgarh polled 16 percent each.
Similarly, Bani recorded 15.22 per cent, Hiranagar 15.02 per cent, Bishnah 14 per cent, Marh 12 percent, Kathua 11.71 per cent, Basholi 11 per cent, Billawar 10.25 and Gandhinagar and Jammu East polled 10 per cent votes.
Besides these, Jammu West and Noushera polled 9 per cent votes followed by 8.50 per cent polling in Darhal and 7.15 per cent in Kalakote.
After a record turnout of voters in the previous four phases, particularly in Kashmir Valley, there is an expectation of high voter turnout in the seats spread across Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts of Jammu region.
As many as 213 candidates, including the Deputy Chief Minister, ministers Sham Lal Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Manohar Lal Sharma, Ajay Sadhotra, former MP and Ministers Lal Singh and Talib Hussain (both BJP) are in the fray.
As many as 18,28,904 eligible voters, comprising 9,59,011 men and 8,69,891 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise at 2,366 polling stations set up across the three border districts.
BJP has high stakes in this phase as it had got 10 seats in 2008 Assembly elections followed by Congress with 5 seats, NC 2, PDP 1 and two seats going to Independents.
"All the measures and arrangements have been put in place for tomorrow's polls", Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Division, Shant Manu said.
The Divisional Commissioner said that 400 security companies (40,000 security men) have been deployed for today's polling apart from regular deployment of police forces.
Security arrangements along the Indo-Pak border have been strengthened in the three border districts of Jammu region with troops put on alert for the polls.
"Security grid along the Indo-Pak border has been put on alert. Multi-tier security has been put in place", the Divisional Commissioner said.
