The Congress-Jharkhand Mukti Morcha alliance is likely to win maximum number of seats in the Jharkhand assembly election, NDTV's Poll of Exit Polls, an aggregate of exit polls, predicted on Friday. The alliance is likely to win 40 seats, the poll said, adding the BJP may win 29 seats. Other parties will win 12 seats, it predicted. Polling ended in 16 Assembly constituencies that went to polls on Friday during the fifth and final phase of Jharkhand elections, officials said. An estimated 70.83 per cent of the total 40.05 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm when the polling ended, Election Commission officials said.
Voting began at 7 am and ended at 3 pm in Borio, Barhait, Litipara, Maheshpur and Sikaripara districts, while it continued till 5 pm in the rest of the constituencies. An electorate of 40,05,287 citizens, including 19,55,336 female and 30 third gender voters, are eligible to choose from 237 candidates who are contesting today. This includes 29 women nominees, across the 16 seats, the Election Commission said. From the heavyweights contesting the polls today are Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Hemant Soren, who has stoked a huge controversy after he alleged that people wearing "saffron robes" were robbing honour of women. The BJP has hit back with a complaint to the Election Commission. The result for all five phases will be declared on December 23.
Here are the Live Updates of the Poll of Exit Polls of Jharkhand Elections 2019:
The poll of exit polls predicted a win for the Congress and JMM alliance in Jharkhand with 40 seats. BJP comes second with 29 seats and other parties, the poll predicts, will get 12 seats.
An estimated 70.83 per cent of the total 40.05 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm when the polling ended, Election Commission officials said.
The polling percentage is likely to increase as information from all the booths is yet to reach the poll panel, the officials said.
Polling ended at 3 pm in five of 16 Assembly constituencies that went to polls on Friday during
Amid tight security, the voting process is underway peacefully, they said.
Voting will end at 3 pm in five constituencies while it will conclude at 5 pm in the remaining seats, they said.
The seats where polling is underway are Borio (ST), Barhait (ST), Litipara (ST), Maheshpur (ST), Sikaripara (ST), Rajmahal, Pakur, Nalla, Jamtara, Dumka (ST), Jama (ST), Jarmundi, Sarath, Poreyahat, Godda and Mahagama.
"Till 1 pm on Friday, 47.95 per cent voting was recorded," the officials said.
Long queues were seen before polling stations in the 16 constituencies with voters braving minimum temperatures hovering between 6.6 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius.
Voting will end at 3 pm in five constituencies while it will conclude at 5 pm in the remaining seats, they said.
The seats where polling is underway are Borio (ST), Barhait (ST), Litipara (ST), Maheshpur (ST), Sikaripara (ST), Rajmahal, Pakur, Nalla, Jamtara, Dumka (ST), Jama (ST), Jarmundi, Sarath, Poreyahat, Godda and Mahagama.
Altogether 40,05,287 electorate, including 19,55,336 women and 30 third gender voters, are eligible to cast their vote, Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said.
Adequate security forces have been deployed, he said. Of 5,389 polling stations, 396 in Naxal-affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 208 have been declared "sensitive".
In all, 1,321 polling stations in non-left wing extremism affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 1,765 declared "sensitive".
The Election Commission has set up 8,987 ballot units, 6,738 control units and 7,006 VVPAT machines.
Altogether, 249 polling stations have been marked as model booths.
The voting process, which began at 7 am, is underway in 16 assembly constituencies spread across six districts in the Santhal Pargana region of the state.
Women and men were seen waiting in queues outside the polling booths to exercise their franchise, braving the December cold.
Polling will end at 3 pm in five constituencies of Borio (ST), Barhait (ST), Litipara (ST), Maheshpur (ST) and Sikaripara (ST).
The other seats where polling is being held in this final phase are Rajmahal, Pakur, Nalla, Jamtara, Dumka (ST), Jama (ST), Jarmundi, Sarath, Poreyahat, Godda and Mahagama.
Voters in these 11 assembly segments can exercise their franchise till 5 pm.
In all, 40,05,287 electorate, including 19,55,336 women and 30 third gender voters, are eligible to cast their vote, Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said.
Adequate security forces have been deployed, he said.
Of 5,389 polling stations, 396 in Naxal-affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 208 have been declared "sensitive".
In all, 1,321 polling stations in non-left wing extremism affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 1,765 declared "sensitive".
The Election Commission has set up 8,987 ballot units, 6,738 control units and 7,006 VVPAT machines.
Altogether, 249 polling stations have been marked as model booths.
As many as 133 polling stations have women staff while 1,347 have webcasting facilities, Choubey said.
Candidates of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Lok Jan Shakti Party, AJSU Party and the Left are also contesting.
Of the 81 assembly seats, elections had concluded in 65 constituencies in the previous four phases between November 30 and December 16.
Votes will be counted on December 23.
While the JMM has fielded nominees in 11 constituencies, the Congress and the RJD are contesting from four and one segments, respectively, reported news agency PTI.
Mr Soren's sister-in-law Sita Soren is seeking re-election from Jharkhand's Jama.
Louis Marandi had defeated Mr Soren in the 2014 assembly elections, reported news agency PTI.
"The fifth and the last phase of voting in the Jharkhand assembly elections is today. I request all voters to vote in record numbers and join this festival of democracy," PM Modi tweeted in Hindi.
Voting for the fifth and final phase of Jharkhand assembly elections began at 7 am on Friday, amid the presence of heavy security at the polling booths.
Adequate security forces have been deployed, he said.
Of 5,389 polling stations, 396 in Naxal-affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 208 have been declared "sensitive".
In all, 1,321 polling stations in non-left wing extremism affected areas have been marked as "critical" while 1,765 declared "sensitive".
The Election Commission has set up 8,987 ballot units, 6,738 control units and 7,006 VVPAT machines.
Altogether, 249 polling stations have been marked as model booths.
As many as 133 polling stations have women staff while 1,347 have webcasting facilities, Choubey said.
The other seats where polling is being held in this final phase are Rajmahal, Pakur, Nalla, Jamtara, Dumka (ST), Jama (ST), Jarmundi, Sarath, Poreyahat, Godda and Mahagama.
All constituencies are spread over six districts in the Santhal Pargana region of the state.
In all, 40,05,287 electorate, including 19,55,336 women and 30 third gender voters, are eligible to cast their vote, Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Adequate security forces have been deployed, he said.
The fate of 237 candidates, including two ministers and a former Chief Minister, will be decided in this final phase.
The polling that began at 7 am in all assembly segments will end at 3 pm in five constituencies of Borio (ST), Barhait (ST), Litipara (ST), Maheshpur (ST) and Sikaripara (ST).