More than 67 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the second and final phase of voting in 38 Assembly constituencies in Jharkhand on Wednesday, while Maharashtra recorded over 58 per cent turnout in the single phase for which polling was held in 288 seats.

The polling in 38 Assembly seats in Jharkhand, and 288 constituencies in Maharashtra was held peacefully without any incidents of violence.

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In the mineral-rich state, voters showed up in large numbers across the 38 constituencies in12 districts.

“Jharkhand recorded 67.59 per cent voting till 5 pm, surpassing 67.04 per cent voting in 38 Assembly seats in 2019 polls,” the Election Commission of India (ECI) said in a statement.

Prominent among the candidates whose fate was sealed in the EVMs included Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren, former chief minister and state BJP chief Babulal Marandi, Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Amar Kumar Bauri and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) president Sudesh Mahto.

Kalpana Soren has exuded confidence of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-Congress-led alliance win in the state.

In apparent reference to the works being done by the JMM-led government, she said people of the state have chosen the path of development.

Exuding confidence in ousting the ruling dispensation, former chief minister Marandi in a post on X wrote, “The people of Jharkhand will overthrow the government that patronizes the naxalites.”

It may be mentioned that in the first phase held on 13^th November in 43 Assembly seats recorded 66.65 per cent turnout.

In the 2019 Assembly polls, the JMM won 30 seats, Congress 16 and BJP 25 constituencies.

In Maharashtra, celebrities spurred on voters to show up at the polling booths and fulfil their responsibilities. Cricketer and ECI national icon Sachin Tendulkar voted along with his family and reiterated his call to others to come out and vote. Elderly voters were greeted with a certificate and plant in certain polling stations in Mumbai.

“Maharashtra recorded 58.22 per cent polling as of 5 pm,” the ECI said in a statement.

Bigwigs whose fate was sealed in the EVMs included Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy chief ministers—Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, former state minister and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray and NCP leader Nawab Malik.

After exercising his franchise at a polling station in Thane, the Chief Minister said the Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP alliance) will retain the government with a huge majority.

In the Assembly polls, Maharashtra witnessed direct contest between the Mahayuti  alliance and the Congress, Shiv Sena- Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) and NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP)-led  Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.

The counting of votes would take place in Jharkhand and Maharashtra on November 23.