Jharkhand Elections: Voter Turnout and Key Highlights on Polling Day

Odisha Governor Raghubar Das and his family voted in Jamshedpur as the first phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections commenced. Candidate Purnima Das Sahu, Das' daughter-in-law, competes for the Jamshedpur East seat. Voter turnout reached over 13% by 9 am, with security measures in place for smooth elections.

As the first phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections kicked off on Wednesday, Odisha Governor and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das joined his family at a Jamshedpur polling station to cast their votes. Emphasizing the civic duty of voting, Das remarked, 'It is the responsibility of the people to come out and use their rights to vote.' He also highlighted the significant role of women in the democratic process, stating, 'If women are not developed, the country will never develop.'

Purnima Das Sahu, Das' daughter-in-law, is vying for the Jamshedpur East Assembly seat, a stronghold of the BJP-led NDA where Das was a four-time MLA. She faces a challenge from Congress' Ajoy Kumar. 'I want the people of the state to come out and cast their votes to strengthen Jharkhand,' Sahu asserted, urging citizens to participate actively in the elections.

With voting underway across 43 of the state's 81 seats, the Election Commission of India reported a 13.04 percent voter turnout by 9:00 am. Regions like Simdega led the turnout, followed closely by Lohardaga and Koderma. In addition to Raghubar Das, other prominent leaders, including Union Minister Annapurna Devi and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, cast their votes, advocating for strong voter participation.

Security for the elections was bolstered with over 200 companies of security forces deployed. Polling will continue until 5:00 pm, except in sensitive booths where it will conclude at 4:00 pm. The votes are set to be counted on November 23.

(With inputs from agencies.)