Jharkhand recorded a voter turnout of 64.95% in Phase 1

Voting for the first phase of the Jharkhand Assembly polls is underway in 43 out of 81 seats. The seats are primarily in the tribal-dominated South Chotanagpur, northern Palamu, and Kolhan regions. Of the seats voting today, 20 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and six for Scheduled Castes (SCs).

Two of these – Chatra and Simaria – are located in the state’s most backward district, also called Chatra. Meanwhile, bypolls are underway in Kerala, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal. Kerala’s Wayanad witnesses Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi’s electoral debut.

As first phase of polling is underway in Jharkhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters to exercise their franchise in full enthusiasm. Modi also congratulated first time voters. “Today is the first round of voting in the Jharkhand assembly elections. I urge all voters to vote with full enthusiasm in this festival of democracy. On this occasion, my heartiest congratulations to all my young friends who are going to vote for the first time! Remember – first vote, then refreshment!” Modi wrote in a post on X.

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah who vowed to introduce Uniform Civil Code in Jharkhand by keeping tribal out of the ambit, has reiterated his roti-beti-mati pitch. In a post on X, “I appeal to all the voters going to vote in the first phase of Jharkhand to cast record votes for the creation of a corruption, infiltration and appeasement free and developed Jharkhand. Vote in large numbers for the protection of tribal identity, security of women and employment for the youth in Jharkhand. Today, first vote for Roti-Beti-Mati and then have refreshments.”

Chief Minister and JMM leader Hemant Soren promised that he will ensure that the state progresses if he is voted power. Slaming the BJP, he said they want to divert attention by raising religious issues and they have no solution to issues like rising inflation, unemployment, infiltration.

LIVE UPDATES

• 7:06 pm: 64.95% voter turnout recorded for Phase-1 in Jharkhand. Lohardaga sees the highest voting with a 73.21% turnout while Hazaribagh is at the bottom with 59.13% polling.

• 5:33 pm: 64.86% voter turnout recorded till 5:00 pm in Jharkhand. Lohardaga sees the highest voting with a 73.21% turnout while Hazaribagh is at the bottom with 59.13% polling.

• 3:34 pm: 59.28% voter turnout recorded till 3:00 pm in Jharkhand. Seraikella-kharsawan sees the highest voting with a 66.38% turnout while capital Ranchi is at the bottom with 53.40% polling.

• 1:51 pm: 46.25% voter turnout recorded till 1:00 pm in Jharkhand. Gumla sees the highest voting with a 52.11% turnout while capital Ranchi is at the bottom with 40.98% polling.

• 12:40 pm: INDIA bloc heads for huge victory, says Cong leader Manickam Tagore. As voting is underway in 43 constituencies in Jharkhand, Congress leader Manickam Tagore has exuded confidence in INDIA bloc’s victory. “People of Jharkhand have decided to vote for the INDIA alliance. We all know that PM Modi, HM Shah, Himanta Sarma tried to divide the people on faith issues, and illusionary issues, but the welfare schemes, and the narrative of INDIA alliance has resonated with the people of Jharkhand, and we are heading for a huge victory,” Congress leader Manickam Tagore

• 11:37 am: At 11 am on Wednesday, Jharkhand recorded a voter turnout of 29.31% across 43 constituencies, as per the Election Commission of India. Khunti recorded the highest voter turnout at 34.12%, and Ramgarh recorded the lowest voter turnout at 24.17%.

• Jharkhand recorded a voter turnout of 13.04% at 9 am. Simdega recorded the highest voter turnout at 15.09%, followed by Lohardaga at 14.97% and East Singhbhum recorded the lowest voter turnout at 11.25% at 9 am, according to Election Commission of India.
• A CRPF jawan deployed on Latehar assembly election duty has been shot. After being shot, the injured jawan was admitted to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital for treatment. Where the doctor has referred him to Ranchi for better treatment, preparations are being made to airlift the injured jawan and admit him to a big hospital in Ranchi. CRPF jawan Santosh Kumar Yadav was deployed on duty for the assembly elections in Labhar, Latehar. An accidental firing took place at the picket early on Wednesday morning, in which Santosh Kumar Yadav was shot in the head. The jawans deployed at the picket immediately admitted him to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital for treatment.