Jharkhand Election: Polling For Fourth Phase Begins; PM Modi Appeals Voters To Exercise Franchise

Polling for the fourth phase of the five-phased Jharkhand Assembly election began in 15 constituencies on Monday. The voting began at 7 am, Election Commission (EC) officials said.

Polling for the fourth phase of the five-phased Jharkhand Assembly election began in 15 constituencies on Monday. The voting began at 7 am, Election Commission (EC) officials said. Photo/PTI

Ranchi:  As the polling for the penultimate fourth phase of the five-phased Jharkhand Assembly election began in 15 constituencies on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed the voters to come out and exercise their franchise. The seats going to the polls in this round are Deoghar (SC), Jamua (SC), Chandankiyari (SC), Madhupur, Bagodar, Gandey, Giridih, Dumri, Bokaro, Sindri, Nirsa, Dhanbad, Jharia, Tundi and Baghmara, spread across four districts. The voting began at 7 am, Election Commission (EC) officials said. It will conclude at 3 pm at Jamua, Bagodar, Giridih, Dumri and Tundi, while for the rest of the seats, the voting will continue till 5 pm, they added. Minutes after the polling began, PM Modi tweeted: "Polling for the fourth round in the Jharkhand Assembly elections today. I request all voters to cast their vote and become a part of this sacred festival of democracy."

झारखंड विधानसभा चुनाव में आज चौथे दौर के लिए मतदान है। सभी मतदाताओं से मेरा निवेदन है कि वे अपना वोट अवश्य डालें और लोकतंत्र के इस पावन पर्व के भागीदार बनें।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 16, 2019

Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinay Kumar Choubey on Sunday said armed forces were deployed in the Naxal-hit areas. Of the 6,101 polling stations, 587 were "critical" and 405 "sensitive" in the Naxal-affected constituencies, while the non-Naxal-hit seats had 546 "critical" and 2,665 "sensitive" polling stations, he said. A total of 47,85,009 voters, including 22,44,134 women and 81 third-gender voters, are eligible to decide the fate of 221 nominees, including 23 women candidates. As many as 34,106 voters were aged 80 years and above, while there were 66,321 differently-abled voters, the CEO said. He said 2,504 wheelchairs and 4,039 volunteers will help the differently-abled voters, adding that a transport facility was being provided to bring them to the polling stations and drop them back. Webcasting facilities will be there in 2,122 polling stations, while 183 model polling stations were set up and only women personnel will conduct polling in 70 polling stations, the CEO said. More than one electronic voting machine (EVM) will be used in four Assembly constituencies as there are more than 16 candidates in these seats, he added. There will be 9,902 ballot units, 7,628 control units and 7,931 VVPAT machines, Choubey said. (With inputs from PTI)