LIVE: Jharkhand | 64.86% voter turnout; Wayanad sees big drop
Over 1.37 crore voters cast their ballots in Jharkhand, with 6 Cabinet ministers among the 683 candidates
A voter turnout of 64.86 per cent was recorded (till 5 pm) in the 43 assembly constituencies in Jharkhand where polling was held in the first phase on Wednesday.
Lohardaga district topped the list with 73.21 per cent polling while Hazaribag district recorded the lowest at 59.13.
The poll percentage in other districts were Seraikela--Kharsawan (72.19), Gumla (69.01), Simdega (68.66), Khunti (68.36), Garhwa (67.35), Latehar (67.16), West Singhbhum (66.87) , Ramgarh (66.32), East Singhbhum (64.87), Chatra (63.26), Palamu (62.62), Koderma (62), Ranchi (60.49) and Hazaribag (59.13).
Former CM Champai Soren and ex-MP Geeta Kora were among the 683 candidates in fray in the first phase.
1.37 crore voters overall
In all, 1.37 crore voters were eligible to participate in the first phase of voting. A total of 683 candidates — 609 men, 73 women and one third-gender candidate — are competing for 43 seats. These seats are divided into 17 general, 20 scheduled tribe, and 6 scheduled caste constituencies.
Key battles include former Chief Minister Champai Soren, who is contesting on a BJP ticket in Seraikela, facing JMM's Ganesh Mahli.
Geeta Kora, wife of former CM Madhu Koda, is contesting against Congress' Sona Ram Sinku in Jagannathpur.
Veteran Congress leader Rameshwar Oraon is up against AJSU's Shanti Bhagat in Lohardaga, while JD(U)'s Saryu Roy is facing Congress’ Banna Gupta in Jamshedpur (West).
The second phase of voting will take place on November 20, and counting is scheduled for November 23.
In Wayanad, poor turnout
The Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, where Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut, saw a voter turnout of around 65 per cent during the bypoll on Wednesday.
This was a decline from the close to 74 per cent turnout recorded in the polls held in April, when her brother and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi contested from the hill constituency. Read the full report here.
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Live Updates
- 13 Nov 2024 3:59 AM GMT
Jharkhand CM Soren: 'Will do 10 years of work in next 5 years'
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren sought the backing of the people. "If you like our work, please support us. I promise that I will do 10 years of work in the next 5 years so that no one can stop our pace of progress," he said in a post on X.
- 13 Nov 2024 3:45 AM GMT
Brisk polling in Wayanad
During the first hour of voting, Wayanad Lok Sabha and the Chelakkara Assembly seats in Kerala witnessed a turnout of 6.96 and 7.2 per cent, respectively on Wednesday.
People started arriving early in the morning at the 1,354 polling booths in the hill constituency of Wayanad where there are over 14 lakh registered voters, according to the Election Commission figures.
Some arrived early, while others wanted to get it over with quickly before more people started reaching the polling stations, they told reporters.
It is a holiday in Wayanad LS and Chelakkara assembly constituencies on account of the by-polls.
The Wayanad constituency comprises seven assembly segments of Mananthavady (ST), Sulthan Bathery (ST), and Kalpetta in Wayanad district; Thiruvambady in Kozhikode district; and Eranad, Nilambur, and Wandoor in Malappuram district.
A by-poll was necessitated in the hill constituency after Rahul Gandhi, who won the Wayanad LS seat in the general elections held earlier this year, vacated it after he also won from the Rae Bareli constituency.
- 13 Nov 2024 3:20 AM GMT
Amit Shah to Jharkhand people: Vote in large numbers
"I appeal to all the voters going to vote in the first phase of polling in Jharkhand to cast record votes for the creation of a Jharkhand which is free from corruption, infiltration and appeasement, and is developed," Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on X in Hindi.
The home minister said the people of Jharkhand should vote in large numbers to protect tribal identity, land, security of women, and employment for the youth.
Shah also asked the people to vote before having breakfast, saying, "Roti-beti-mati ke liye pehle matdan, phir jalpan".
- 13 Nov 2024 3:11 AM GMT
Kharge's message to voters: 'Keep divisive forces away'
"Voting has started today for the first phase of Jharkhand elections, Wayanad Lok Sabha by-election and by-elections in 31 assembly constituencies of 10 states. All voters are requested to cast their valuable vote to strengthen and empower democracy and the Constitution. The people of Jharkhand have to vote for social justice for all, inclusive development and good governance and protection of water, forests, land and tribal civilization and keep divisive forces away from the state.
"Before pressing the button on the EVM, you have to think that we have to form a government which ensures the involvement and participation of the people and not a government which divides, misleads and polarizes the people; only then we will be able to save the values of the Constitution. We welcome and congratulate our friends who are voting for the first time. Exercise your rights wisely. Be sure to vote and inspire others to do so," Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote in Hindi on his X account.
