Jharkhand Election 2019: The voting began at 7 am and will continue till 3 pm.
Around 46.83 per cent votes were cast till 1 pm on Saturday in the first phase of Jharkhand assembly elections in 13 constituencies, amid sporadic incidents of violence in some districts, officials said.
The voting commenced at 7 am and will end at 3 pm, Election Commission (EC) officials said.
A total of 37,83,055 electorate, including 18,01,356 women and five third-gender voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase across six districts.
This is the fourth assembly election in Jharkhand since 2000 when the state was carved out Bihar. The ruling BJP, which is contesting for the first time without an ally, faces a tough challenge from the united opposition parties. A total of 189 candidates are contesting in the first phase.
The district administration in Jharkhand has tightened the security in two assembly constituencies -- Latehar and Manika, where a Maoist attack took place a few days ago.
Here are the highlights on first phase of Jharkhand assembly elections:
Jharkhand Assembly Polls: 62.8% turnout till end of voting
An estimated 62.87 per cent votes were cast when voting ended at 3 pm on Saturday in the first of the five-phase Jharkhand assembly elections in 13 constituencies, amid sporadic incidents of violence, officials said. The percentage is likely to increase as voters who entered the polling stations by 3 pm will be allowed to exercise their franchise, they said. A total of 37,83,055 electorate, including 18,01,356 women and five third-gender voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase of polling across six districts, which began at 7 am, Election Commission (EC) officials said.
Key candidates in the first phase:
Key candidates in the fray are Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee and state Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi from Bishrampur and state Congress president Rameshwar Oraon from the Lohardaga seat.
Oraon is taking on the former state Congress chief Sukhdeo Bhagat after the latter joined the BJP recently.
Former BJP chief whip Radhakrishna Kishore, who was denied ticket from Chhatarpur, is contesting on an All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) party ticket from the same seat.
The BJP, which is seeking a second straight win under the leadership of Chief Minister Raghubar Das, is contesting in 12 seats in the first phase while it is supporting Independent candidate Vinod Singh from Hussainabad.
The AJSU party is contesting on its own. Challenging the BJP is the opposition alliance of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
While the Congress is contesting in six seats in the first phase, the JMM is fighting in four and the RJD in three constituencies in the first phase.
The other parties contesting the elections are Babulal Marandi's Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), Janata Dal (United) and the Left parties.
The fate of 189 candidates, including 15 women nominees, will be decided in the first phase of the polling in Chatra, Gumla, Bishunpur, Lohardaga, Manika, Latehar, Panki, Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Chhatarpur, Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur.
The Bhawanathpur constituency has the maximum of 28 contestants, while Chatra has the lowest with nine. Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said a total of 4,892 polling stations have been set up, out of which 1,262 would have webcasting facilities.
Additional Director General of Police Murari Lal Meena said a total of 1,097 polling stations in Naxal-affected areas were marked as hypersensitive and 461 polling stations as sensitive.
46.8% turnout till 1 pm amid sporadic violence in Jharkhand
Around 46.83 per cent votes were cast till 1 pm on Saturday in the first phase of Jharkhand assembly elections in 13 constituencies, amid sporadic incidents of violence in some districts, officials said.
Congress candidate seen brandishing a gun
Congress candidate KN Tripathi brandishes a gun during a clash between supporters of BJP candidate Alok Chaurasia and his supporters.
Mr Tripathi was allegedly stopped by the BJP candidate's supporters from going to polling booths, in Kosiyara village of Palamu.
Queues of voters outside a polling booth in Kanhachatti in Chatra district.
Jharkhand must vote against the BJP: P Chidambram
Congress leader P Chidambram, who is lodged in Tihar jail, through his family has tweeted: "People of Jharkhand must vote against the BJP and record their rejection of BJP's policies and model of governance. They have the first opportunity to do so."
Voting continues in Lohardaga
Voting underway at a polling booth in a government school in Lohardaga.
Jharkhand First Phase Turnout Till 11am
27.4% voting percentage recorded till 11am in the first phase of Jharkhand elections.
11.02 per cent polling till 9 am
Jharkhand witnesses 11.02 per cent polling till 9 am, with the highest being at Lathear assembly seat with 13.23 per cent.
Maoists blow up a bridge in Gumla
Maoists blow up a bridge in Bishnupur in Gumla district, reports news agency ANI. No injuries have been reported till now. Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan says voting not affected.
Over 37 lakh electorate, who are eligible to exercise their franchise, will decide the electoral fortune of 189 candidates, including 15 women candidates in the first phase of Assembly elections, says Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey.
Constituencies witnessing elections today:
The constituencies where polling is taking place are -- Chatra, Gumla, Bishunpur, Lohardaga, Manika, Latehar, Panki, Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Chhatarpur, Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur.
Amit Shah Tweets As Voting Begins For First Phase Of Jharkhand Assembly Elections
"To keep Jharkhand free from corruption and Naxalism and to maintain the pace of development here, a stable, majority government is necessary. I appeal to all the voters of the first phase to contribute in keeping Jharkhand on the path of development by coming out and voting in large numbers," Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted this morning.