With the issuance of notification for the first phase of elections in Jharkhand the nomination process for the 13 Assembly segments going to polls on November 30 began on Wednesday. The nominations can be filled from 11am to 3pm till November 13, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vinay Kumar Choubey told media persons in Ranchi on Wednesday.
There are a total of 3,906 polling stations and 37,78,963 voters in the 13 Assembly segments –Chatra, Gumla, Bishunpur, Lohardaga, Manika, Latehar, Panki, Daltonganj, Vishrampur, Chattarpur, Hussainabad, Garhwa, Bhawanathpur—that will vote in the first phase of elections here.“The notification for the first phase of elections in 13 constituencies was issued today. Candidates can file nominations till November 13 and the scrutiny will be done of November 14. Candidates can withdraw nominations by November 16,” Choubey said.
Nominations of all the candidates who reach the election officer’s office and start the formalities before 3pm will be accepted even if the officials concerned have to work overtime. However, the nomination process will be closed on official holidays. Nominations for the 13 constituencies will be accepted at the District Electoral Offices in Chatra, Gumla, Lohardaga, Garhwa and Palamu districts.
Among the 13 constituencies, Bhawanthpur has the highest number of electors - 3,77,996. Garhwa has 15,319 first time voters – the highest among all the constituencies going to polls in the first phase of elections in Jharkhand. Nearly 90,000 first time voters have made it to the electoral roll in these constituencies this year and more than 50,000 of them are women.
Officials from the CEO’s office on Wednesday said that as many as 37,135 electors in these constituencies are above the age of 80 years and they can avail ECI’s postal ballot. Besides, 38584 voters with disability can also opt for postal ballot as per ECI norms.