J'khand polls: 12.3 pc voter turnout recorded till 9 am

Around 12.35 per cent polling was recorded till 9 am on Saturday in the second of the five-phase Jharkhand assembly elections that began in 20 constituencies.

The voting commenced at 7 am amid tight security arrangements, officials said.

Polling in 18 seats will end at 3 pm, while voters in Jamshedpur (East) -- where Chief Minister Raghubar Das is in the fray -- and Jamshedpur (West) constituencies can exercise their franchise till 5 pm, an Election Commission (EC) release said.

Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon (Sisai), Rural Development Minister Neelkanth Singh Munda (Khunti) and BJP's state unit president Laxman Gilua (Chakradharpur) were among the early voters.

A large number of people were also seen in queues waiting for their turn in Baharagora and Chaibasa constituencies, braving cold conditions, the officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier in the day tweeted, urging voters to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise.

A total 48,25,038 voters, including 23,93,437 female and 90 third gender voters, are eligible to vote to decide the fate of 260 candidates, including 29 women nominees and 73 independents.

According to police sources, more than 42,000 security personnel, including central forces, have been deployed on the 20 seats spread across seven districts.

"Several of the constituencies going for this phase of polling are Naxal-affected. So, armed police have been deployed as a part of security measures," Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said.

Out of a total of 6,066 polling stations, 949 have been declared 'critical' and 762 'sensitive' in Naxal-affected areas, he said.

The CEO said that 101 polling stations have been relocated due to security reasons, and free transport facility has been arranged for voters to reach these stations.

Webcasting facilities have been made available at 1,662 polling stations, he said.

The assembly segments going to polls in the second phase are Baharagora, Ghatsila, Potka, Jugsalai, Jamshedpur (East), Jamshedpur (West), Seraikela, Chaibasa, Majhgaon, Jaganathpur, Manoharpur, Chakradharpur, Kharsawan, Tamar, Torpa, Khunti, Mandar, Sisai, Simdega and Kolebira.

Sixteen of the 20 constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates and one for Scheduled Caste (SC).

BJP leader and Chief Minister Raghubar Das are facing the challenge from his former cabinet colleague and Independent candidate Saryu Roy from the Jamshedpur (East) seat.

The BJP's state unit president Laxman Gilua, who lost the Lok Sabha elections from Singhbhum seat, is contesting from Chakradharpur.

The BJP is contesting in all the 20 constituencies in the second phase, while the opposition alliance of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress are contesting in 14 and six seats, respectively.

The RJD, which got a total of seven seats as per the seat-sharing formula of the opposition combine, has no candidate in this round.

NDA ally AJSU party, which is contesting the assembly elections on its own for the first time since the creation of the state, has fielded candidates from 12 constituencies in this phase.

The Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) has nominated leaders in all the 20 seats, and the Bahujan Samaj Party in 14 segments.

The CPI is contesting in two seats, the CPI(M) in one seat and the NCP in two.

Six candidates of the All India Trinamool Congress are also in the fray in the second round.

The first of the five-phase polling for 13 constituencies had concluded on November 30.

The rest of the three phases will be held on December 12, 16 and 20.

Counting will take place on December 23.