Polling underway peacefully in final phase of Jharkhand panchayat polls

Ranchi, May 27 (PTI) Polling in the fourth and final phase of Jharkhand panchayat elections is underway peacefully amid tight security, officials said on Friday.

A total of 19.84 per cent of 58.16 lakh voters have exercised their franchise in 15,875 polling stations spread across 1,299 gram panchayats till 9 AM, they said.

Voting began at 7 AM and long queues of voters were seen before most booths including those in Maoist-hit blocks.

"People from every corner of the state have enthusiastically participated in this great festival of democracy. Best wishes to all again," Chief Minister Hemant Soren tweeted.

As many as 6,785 booths have been declared as sensitive and 4,744 hyper-sensitive. Polling will continue till 3 PM.

Voting is underway in 23 of the 24 districts of the state. Elections in all nine blocks of Saraikela-Kharsawan district have been completed in the first and third phases. Heavy deployment of security forces has been ensured to conduct free and fair polls. Drone cameras are also being used in sensitive areas to monitor the exercise.

"The final phase of polling is underway in 1,299 gram panchayats. It has been peaceful so far, with 19.84 per cent turnout till 9 AM," a State Election Commission official said.

More than 58.16 lakh voters, including 28.20 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the political fate of 35,504 candidates.

Panchayat elections in Jharkhand are not contested with party symbols.

In the final phase, elections were scheduled to be held for 18,920 posts -- 15,875 panchayat members, 1,299 mukhiyas, 1,587 panchayat committee representatives and 159 zilla parishad members.

However, a total of 6,950 candidates have already been declared winners unopposed for posts of 6,811 panchayat members, five mukhiyas, 133 panchayat committee representatives and one zilla parishad member in the fourth phase of the elections, he said.

The first, second and third phase of the elections took place on May 14, 19 and 24 respectively. The counting of votes polled in the first two phases has been completed, while that of the third and fourth phases will take place on May 31.