Jharkhand Assembly Election: Phase 1 records 66% voter turnout, slightly better than 2019

The first phase of voting in Jharkhand recorded 66.48 per cent voter turnout at 5 pm, Election Commission of India said. The turnout surpasses 63.9 per cent voting recording in the seats in 2019 assembly elections, the poll panel said.

Polling was held in 43 seats across 15 districts in the first phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections today, November 13. The voting began at 7 am and continued till 5 pm.

“Voting which commenced at 7 am today was held peacefully without any incidents of violence. As per updates till 11.30 pm on November 13 , a voter turnout of 66.48 per cent was recorded at the polling stations in Jharkhand which has already surpassed 63.9 per cent voting in these 43 assembly seats in 2019 Assembly Elections,” the poll panel said.  In a statement, the poll panel said that the turnout will be revised as the polling was still underway in certain polling stations where voters were waiting in queues before the culmination of poll hours.

The second phase of election for 38 seats is scheduled for November 20. The results will be declared on November 23.

The contest in Jharkhand is between the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha-led INDIA bloc and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Better than 2019

In the 2019 Assembly Elections for 81 seats, the JMM emerged as the largest party with 30 seats, while the BJP bagged 25 seats. The Congress won 16 seats, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) got three seats, while All Jharkhand Students Union won 2 seats.

The JMM formed a government with the support of the Congress and RJD. The alliance is contesting the 2024 assembly elections again, with Hemant Soren-led JMM contesting 43 of the 81 seats in the assembly. The Congress has fielded candidates on 30 seats. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is contesting six seats and the Left parties are contesting three seats.

In the NDA bloc, the BJP is contesting on 68 seats, while its alliance partner All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) has fielded candidates on 10 seats. The Janata Dal (United) is contesting two seats and the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is contesting from a lone seat in Jharkhand polls.

Bypolls were also held today in 31 Assembly Constituencies (ACs) in 10 states and in Wayanad Lok Sabha seat of Kerala. Two assembly seats in Sikkim were uncontested.

In Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is making electoral debut in the bypolls. She was fielded by the Congress party after her brother Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat. Rahul won two seats – Wayanad and Raebareli – in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.