With the beginning of the first phase of election in Jharkhand on Saturday, rapid voting has been witnessed with 27.42 per cent polling completed in the first four hours, an official said.
Till four hours since the start of the polling, the highest voting was witnessed at Bhavanathpur Assembly seat with 30.38 per cent and lowest at Lohardagga with 21.27 per cent.
The first phase of polling began at 7 am for 13 seats. The polls will continue till 3 pm. Heavy security arrangements were made in the state for the peaceful commencement of the polls.
Till now, a minor clash was reported between the Congress and BJP at the Daltanganj assembly seat. Meanwhile, Maoists blew up a bridge in Gumla earlier in the day just before the beginning of the polls.
Read: Jharkhand Assembly polls: Maoists blow up bridge amid voting for first phase on 13 seats
13 Assembly seats of Chatra, Gumla, Vishunpur, Lohardagga, Manika, Latehar, Panki, Daltanganj, Vishrampur, Chatarpur, Harwah, Hussainabad, and Bhavanathpur are going for polling today.
As many as 189 candidates are in the fray for the 13 seats. The candidates’ fate will be decided by 37,83,055 voters.
The maximum number of candidates, 28, are contesting from the Bhavanthpur Assembly seat.
The important candidates, whose fate will be decided in first phase polling, include Jharkhand Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravanshi, Congress state chief Rameshwar Oraon, and former Minister and BJP candidate Bhanu Pratap Shahi.