The stage is set for voting in the first phase of the two- phase Jharkhand Assembly election which will take place today.
As per data shared by the election commission, a total of 29562 polling stations have been set up across the State for the elections where as in the Jharkhand Assembly elections in 2019, the total number of polling station was 29464.
For the first phase, voting will take place at 15344 polling booths- 12716 of these are located in the rural areas while the remaining 2628 are in the urban areas.
Ranchi district has a total of 2085 polling stations. Correspondingly, the assembly constituency of Ranchi has 374 polling stations all of which are located in the urban areas. Hatia has 334 polling stations in urban locality and 162 in rural areas, Kanke has 149 urban polling stations and 333 rural, Mandar has 430 polling stations all of which are situated in rural areas whereas Tamar has 21 and 281 urban and rural polling stations respectively.
For the first phase of the assembly elections, as many as 1249 special polling booths are being set up. Out of these, polling at 1152 stations will be managed by women personnel, 23 will be handled by the youth, 24 will be managed by Persons with Disabilities and 50 booths are of the unique category.
The major difference between a normal polling booth and a women polling booth is that these booths will have all women staff including presiding officers, polling officers, micro observers and security personnel. Ranchi has 29, Hatia 32 and Kanke 27 such polling booths.
The maximum number of women polling booth for the first phase is in Saraikela 134. This is followed by Daltonganj which has 126 and Khunti at 79. These polling booths are situated at places where the number of women voters is high.
Ranchi has two booths which will be managed by PwDs and four youth managed polling stations. Hatia and Kanke have two youth polling stations each. To inspire electors, one polling station in Kanke will be decked up on the theme of hockey.
With nine unique polling stations, Ramgarh has the maximum number of such polling booths. While one of these is located at the tourism area at Patratu Dam, the others boost of picturesque views of the mountains and the dam.
Lohardaga has a total of six unique polling stations. Two of these are based on women empowerment while two focus on nutrition and forest produce. One of the remaining two is based on Lohardaga rail and the other on tribal art and culture.
The polling station at Barhi in Hazaribagh is known for high participation from the Particularity Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) while two in Latehar are recognised for the same.
As many as seven polling stations in Palamu are also known to have a substantial number of PVTG electors and will be decorated on the theme portraying the rich tribal culture of the State while four booths in Bokaro are also known as PVTG booths.
A booth in Saraikela in known for its uniqueness as it has approximately 400 Chhau artists as registered voters here.
Located near dense poppy cultivation areas, two polling stations in Simaria, Chatra will be decked up to attract youth on the theme’ Yes to Vote, No to Drugs’.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday Chief Election Officer K Ravi Kumar said that voting will be held from 7 am on Wednesday in 43 constituencies of 15 districts. All polling personnel have reached the polling stations. Helidropping of all has also been done at the marked polling stations.
On Wednesday, the presiding officer at all polling stations will start the process of mock poll from 5:30 am in the presence of the polling agents of the candidates.
Kumar said that the 200-meter radius of the polling booths has to be marked. Representatives have to set up their camps outside this radius. Also, party or representative flags or any kind of symbols should not be put up in these camps.
He appealed to the voters and said that elections are a festival in democracy. Voters should come out of their homes with their families in a festive mood with enthusiasm and vote.
Adequate number of security personnel has been deployed at polling booths.
The Chief Electoral Officer said that 58 cases of violation of Model Code of Conduct have been registered so far. Out of these, the maximum 29 cases have been registered in Garhwa district. Since the implementation of Model Code of Conduct in the state, illegal material and cash worth Rs 208.78 crore has been seized so far.
