Ranchi: The voting for the fifth and final phase of polling in Jharkhand began on Friday for 16 assembly constituencies, an official said. The polling began at 7 am for 16 assembly seats located in Santhal Pargana region of the state. The voting will end at 3 pm in Borio, Barhait, Litipara, Maheshpur and Sikaripara, while it will continue till 5 pm in the rest of the eleven constituencies. A total of 237 candidates including 29 women aspirants are into the race and their fate will be decided by 40,05,287 voters, including 19,55,336 female and 30 third gender voters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday has urged the people of Jharkhand to vote in record numbers as the state is voting in the fifth and the final phase of the state Assembly elections today. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said that the fifth and the final phase of Jharkhand polls will take place today. He appealed all the people whose seats go to the polls today to vote in large numbers.

The key candidates include ministers of Chief Minister Raghubar Das-led cabinet Raj Paliwar, Louis Marandi and Randhir Singh. Chief ministerial candidate of Congress, JMM and RJD Hemant Soren is contesting the assembly poll from Dumka and Barhet.

Like the previous four-phase polling there have been left-wing extremism (LWE) pockets, the final phase also has certain Naxal pockets. The seats going for the final leg voting are Rajmahal, Borio (ST), Barhait (ST), Litipara (ST), Pakur, Maheshpur (ST), Sikaripara (ST), Nalla, Jamtara, Dumka (ST), Jama (ST), Jarmundi, Sarath, Poreyahat, Godda and Mahagama across six districts in the Santhal Pargana region of the state.

Over 62.4 per cent voter turnout was recorded at 15 Assembly constituencies covering four districts that went to polls in the fourth phase of elections in Jharkhand on December 16. The third phase of elections took place in 17 Assembly constituencies covering eight districts on December 12. The second phase of elections to Jharkhand Legislative Assembly took place in 20 Assembly constituencies on December 7, while the first phase of voting took place on November 30. The counting of votes will be held on December 23.