64.44 percent votes cast on 1st day in Jharkhand

This picture has been used for representational purposes only

Ranchi: Jharkhand witnessed 64.44 per cent polling in the first phase of the vote in the 13 Assembly constituencies on Saturday, which is one per cent more than 63.29 per cent recorded in these seats in the 2014 elections. Defying the Maoist boycott call, voters queued up in large numbers at polling stations since morning to caste their votes.

According to Election Commission final data, the polling per cent was 64.44. The highest polling 71.47 per cent was recorded at Lohardagga and the lowest 56.59 per cent at the Chatra seat.

There was no major incident reported in the first phase. Maoist rebels tried to create fear among people by triggering four landmine blast in Gumla and blew up a bridge. The 13 seats that went to polls are: Chatra, Latehar and Chattarpur (reserved for SC), Gumla, Bishunpur, Lohardaga, Manika (all ST seats), Panki, Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawnathpur.

Of the 37,78,963 voters in this phase, 19,79,991 were men, 17,98,966 women and five belonged to the third gender. A maximum of 28 candidates were in Bhawnathpur, and a minimum of nine in the Chatra seat. A total of 189 candidates are in the race, including 15 women out of which a maximum of 28 candidates were in Bhawnathpur Seat and a minimum of nine were fighting from the Chatra seat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an appeal to vote in large number.

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