Jharkhand 1st phase sees 66.18% polling

Jharkhand witnessed 66.18 per cent polling in the first phase of the Assembly elections in 43 constituencies on Wednesday. Lohardaga seat recorded the highest voter turnout at 73.21 per cent, followed by Saraikela-Kharsawan seat, from where former chief minister Champai Soren is contesting as a BJP candidate, at 72 per cent.

Despite threats and boycott calls, polling was largely peaceful in the state, including in the Left Wing Extremism-affected areas, official sources said. Polling for the remaining 38 seats in Jharkhand will be held on November 20.

Meanwhile, 60.79 per cent polling was witnessed in the high-profile Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi is contesting her maiden election from the seat, which was vacated by her brother Rahul Gandhi to retain the Rae Bareli constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Budha Pahad area in Garhwa district of Jharkhand, which was once considered a stronghold of extremists, witnessed peaceful polling with long queues at Hesatu polling station.

The polling, which began at 7 am, was held peacefully without any incidents of violence. According to information, the polling percentage in the state surpassed 63.9 per cent voting recorded in 2019.

Simultaneously, bypolls were also held on 31 Assembly constituencies in 10 states. Two seats in Sikkim were uncontested.