Ranchi: Voting ended in five of the 15 assembly seats that went to the polls in the fourth phase in Jharkhand on Monday. According to the Election Commission, more than 53.37 per cent polling have been been reported till 3 p.m. Voting ended at 3 p.m. on five seats - Bagodar, Jamua, Giridih, Dumri and Tundi, while on rest of the 10 seats, it will end at 5 p.m. In Dhanbad, an elderly woman was brought on a cot to cast her vote.

Despite cold weather condition and Maoist threat, voters turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise. Jharkahnd had witnessed rain on Sunday and the weather is cloudy in most part of the state on Monday.

There are a total of 221 candidates including 23 women in the fray in this phase. The maximum, 25 candidates, are contesting from the Bokaro seat while the minimum, eight candidates, are trying their luck from the Nirsa seat.

Out of 15 seats, three -- Deoghar, Jamua and Chandankiyari -- are reserved for Scheduled Castes while remaining 12 are general category seats.

On nine seats, the fight is between the BJP on the one hand and the Congress, the JMM and the RJD alliance on the other. Six seats are witnessing a triangular contest.

Prominent candidates who are in the fray included Ministers Raj Paliwar and Amar Kumar Bauri; Ragini Singh, Raj Kishore Mahto and Dhullu Mahto.