Jharkhand polls: Newly-married couple turns up for voting in Bokaro

On Thursday, a newly married couple, dressed in their wedding outfits, turned up to cast their votes for Bermo Assembly constituency. The third phase of the assembly elections is going on in Jharkhand. In the third phase of voting, the fate of legislators in 17 seats out of 81 seats will be decided. The key constituencies in which elections took place are- Koderma, Barhi, Barkatha, Barkagaon, Ramgarh, Mandu, Simiria (SC), Dhanwar, Gomia, Bermo, Ichagarh, Silli, Khijri (ST), Ranchi, Hatia and Kanke.

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In 2014 elections, the BJP had won 7 seats out of 17 while Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Jharkhand Vikash Morcha ( Prajatantrik) (JVM) won three-seat each. All Jharkhand Students Union ( AJSU ) and CPI (ML) won one seat each. The tally of BJP reached to 10 when six JVM MLAs ( three from the third phase) merged with the ruling party.

The key candidates in the fray are CP Singh, Ramchandra Shahi, Neera Yadav, Former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi, and former Deputy Chief Minister Sudesh Mahto.

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As per the Election commission of India (ECI), a voter turnout of 45.14 per cent was recorded till 1 pm. The highest voting was recorded in the Ichagarh Assembly constituency with a voter turnout of 56.01. The lowest voter turnout has been recorded in Ranchi constituency with just 30.61 per cent till 3 pm.

Governor of Jharkhand, Draupadi Murmu, cast her vote at ATI Ranchi while AJSU president Sudesh Mahto cast his vote along with his wife at Silli. Former Union Minister and BJP MP Jayant Sinha cast his vote in Hazaribagh.

The second phase of the election took place on December 7 in which the total voter turnout was 63.36 per cent. Twenty assembly constituency went on the poll on the second phase of Jharkhand assembly elections.

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The fourth phase will take place on December 20 while the fifth and last phase on December 20. The counting of the vote will take place on December 30.

(With inputs from ANI)