Stage set for counting of votes for 14 LS seats in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Jun 3 (PTI) The stage is set for counting of votes on Tuesday for 14 Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand, an election official said.

The counting will start from 8 am amid tight security. The trends are expected around 9 am, the official said.

The day will decide the fate of 244 candidates— 212 men, 31 women and 1 transgender— in the fray in the 14 Lok Sabha seats. Altogether eight sitting MPs and 12 MLAs, are contesting the parliamentary polls.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jharkhand, K Ravi Kumar said, "Preparations have almost been completed in all 14 parliamentary constituencies where counting of votes is scheduled to take place." He said that counting of votes will begin from 8 am. "The postal ballot will be counted first and then counting of EVM votes will start. We expect the counting process to be complete by 4 pm," Kumar said.

He said that the first round is likely to be completed by 9 am. "We hope to declare the trend of the first round by 9.15 am," he said.

Kumar said that adequate security arrangements have been ensured at all counting centres in the state. "A three-layer security arrangement has been chalked out for free and fair counting. In the first layer, there will be deployment of central armed police forces," he said.

Giving details about the counting of votes for the Ranchi Lok Sabha seat, Ranchi deputy commissioner (DC) Rahul Kumar Sinha said that the counting process would be held at Ranchi's Pandra area.

"Mobile phones inside the counting hall have been banned completely. Neither officials nor agents of political parties would be allowed to carry mobile phones inside the counting centre," he said.

He said that six assembly constituencies fall under Ranchi Lok Sabha seat. "Six counting halls have been created for six assembly constituencies and one hall for postal ballot counting. The number of counting tables in a hall range from 17 to 29 based on the number of polling stations in each assembly segment," he said.

Keeping aside the exit poll predictions, INDIA bloc partners claimed that they would win at least 10 seats in Jharkhand. The BJP-led NDA claimed they will win all 14 seats in the state.

Overall 66.19 per cent turnout was recorded in the four phases of elections in Jharkhand from May 13 to June 1.

Of the 2.58 crore voters in the state, 1.7 crore cast their votes in the 14 Lok Sabha seats to decide the electoral fate of 244 candidates. Of the 1.7 crore voters, 87.11 lakh were women and 83.85 lakh men.

Of the 14 Lok Sabha seats, BJP had won 11 constituencies, while AJSU Party, Congress and JMM had won one seat each in the 2019 polls. PTI SAN SAN RG