Jharkhand assembly election: Second phase of polling begins in 20 seats, CM Raghubar Das among candidates
The second phase of polling began on Saturday morning on 20 constituencies in Jharkhand, which votes in five phases to elect 81 members of the legislative assembly.
In the second phase of the five-phased elections, voting is being conducted at 20 constituencies including Jamshedpur East and Jamshedpur West.
In this phase of the election, over 48 Lakh voters will be exercising their democratic franchise.
Jharkhand: People queue up to cast their votes at a polling station in Khunti during the second phase of voting for assembly elections. #JharkhandElection2019 pic.twitter.com/hKXiCLgxeI
— ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2019
Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said, "Several of the constituencies going for this phase of polling are Naxal-affected. So, armed police have been deployed as a part of security measures."
Out of a total of 6,066 polling stations, 949 have been declared 'critical' and 762 sensitive' in Naxal-affected areas, he said.
The CEO said that 101 polling stations have been relocated due to security reasons and free transport facility has been arranged for voters to reach these stations to exercise their franchise.
The key leaders who are contesting in this phase of polling include Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who is contesting from Jamshedpur (East) seat. State assembly speaker Dinesh Oraon and BJP state unit chief Laxman Guila are also contesting in this phase of elections.
Due to security reasons, polling at 18 constituencies, barring Jamshedpur East and Jamshedpur West, will be held between 7:00 AM and 3:00. At the other two assembly seats, the voters can cast their votes till 5:00 PM.
Other constituencies going to polls today are Khunti, Mandar, Sisai, Majhgaon, Manoharpur, Saraikela, Chaibasa, Baharagora, Ghatsila, Potka, Simdega, Kolebira, Kharsawaan, Tamar, Jagannathpur and Torpa.
Six of these assembly constituencies going to polls are located in East Singhbum district where the district administration and senior police officers have said to have taken all preventive measures to conduct the poll in a peaceful and fair manner.
To check the rumour-mongering on social media, the district police has formed a monitoring cell.
"We have identified 2,300 people who can disturb law and order at the time of voting. Notices have been sent to them," said the district's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anup Birthray.
In the Maoist affected assembly constituencies, the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the BSF jawans along with state police personnel have been deployed at strategic locations to prevent any untoward incident, added Birthray.
The Assembly election is being held in Jharkhand in five phases. The first phase had concluded on November 30 whereas the voting for the third phase will be conducted on December 12. The results will be declared on December 23.
(With Agency Inputs)
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First published: 7 December 2019, 8:37 IST