28.72 per cent polling in 3 LS seats in Jharkhand till 11 am

RANCHI: An estimated 28.72 per cent of the total 45,64,681 voters have exercised their franchise in the final phase of polling for three

Lok Sabha

seats in Jharkhand till 11 am on Sunday, an official said.


There was no report of any violence from anywhere in the three Lok Sabha constituencies, police said.

A total of 42 candidates including former chief minister and JMM chief Shibu Soren are contesting from the three Lok Sabha seats - Dumka,

Rajmahal

and Godda - .

Rajmahal witnessed a voter turnout of 27.14 per cent while Dumka registered 28.60 per cent and Godda recorded 30.15 per cent, according to an Election Commission release.

Braving the summer heat, a large number of voters, including elderly persons and differently-abled voters, are seen in long queues in Dumka, Rajmahal and Rajmahal seat as the polling began at 7 am and will continue till 4 pm in the three constituencies.

An 86-year old woman cast her vote at Pakur under Rajmahal Lok Sabha seat while an 80-year-old woman exercised her franchise at Deoghar in Godda constituency.

In Dumka, Soren, an eight-time MP, is facing challenge from BJP's Sunil Soren for the third straight time. The JMM president had defeated the latter in 2014 and 2009.

Sitting JMM MP Vijay Kumar Hansda is taking on former minister and BJP's

Hemlal Murmu

from Rajmahal for the second time in a row.

BJP's sitting MP Nishikant Dubey main opponent in the Godda seat is JVM MLA Pradip Yadav.

The JMM, the Congress and the JVM have formed '

Mahagathbandhan

' (grand alliance) in the state.

Chief Electorate Officer L Khiangte said that 6,258 control units, as many ballot units and 6,258 VVPATs have been set up in the three constituencies, besides keeping 1260 control units, as many ballot units and 1884 VVPATs in reserve.

There are 6,258 polling stations with 27,536 polling personnel manning them.

A total 589 polling stations have webcasting facility while there are 137 all-women polling stations.

Inspector General of Police (Operation) Ashish Batra said that 37,398 security personnel have been deployed across the three constituencies as part of security arrangements.

An Air ambulance is available for emergency services, he said, adding locations of sensitive booths are being under air surveillance.