Counting of votes for Jharkhand civic polls on Friday

Ranchi, Feb 26 (PTI) Counting of votes for the civic polls to 48 urban local bodies (ULBs) in Jharkhand will take place on Friday amidst tight security, officials said.

Counting of ballots will start at 8 am, and results are expected to begin flowing after around two hours.

The elections were held on February 23, with over 63 per cent of the total 43 lakh voters exercising their franchise.

"Counting will begin at 8 am with the segregation of ballot papers. Polling was conducted using two colours of ballot papers -- white and pink -- for election of ward councillors and mayors/chairpersons," state election commission secretary Radhe Shyam Prasad told PTI.

"Barring Dhanbad, counting of 47 ULBs is expected to be complete by Friday. The counting process of Dhanbad Municipal Corporation may go till Saturday as nine rounds of counting will be held," Prasad said.

Prasad said elaborate security arrangements have been made in the counting centres.

Elections were held for the posts of mayor and chairperson in 48 ULBs, and councillors in 1,042 wards across nine municipal corporations, 20 nagar parishads and 19 nagar panchayats.

There are 1,087 wards in 48 ULBs, but elections were held in 1,042 wards, as 41 councillors were elected unopposed, three wards remained vacant after no nomination was received, and polling in one ward of Mango Municipal Corporation was cancelled following the death of a candidate.

As many as 562 candidates, including 235 women, are in the fray for the posts of mayor and chairperson, while 5,562 candidates, including 2,727 women, contested the posts of ward councillors.

The polls were not contested on the electoral symbols of the political parties, but candidates are backed by the outfits. PTI SAN SAN MNB