People’s faith in democratic system and the resolve to witness a change in national politics got another boost on Thursday with Maoist-infested districts of Jharkhandwitnessing an enthusiastic response to the electoral process.
Around 61.73 per cent voting was recorded in six parliamentary constituencies despite incidents of Naxal violence in two districts compared to around 50 percent in 2009.
Around 12 per cent increase in the turnout was attributed to the fact that a large number of urban voters, women and youths queued up at polling stations in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Hazaribagh and other cities and towns. Even polling booths which had zero polling in last elections recorded above 60 per cent voting. Though suspected Maoists tried to disrupt polling by triggering blasts, attacking a patrolling party and blowing up a railway track in Bokaro and Giridih districts, they could not deter the voters who brought the polling percentage from 46 per cent (2009) to 62 per cent (2014) marking the sharpest rise of 16 per cent in Giridih constituency.
More than 52 lakh voters out of the total 85.25 lakh electors from six constituencies — Ranchi, Khunti, Giridih, Hazaribagh, Jamshedpur and Singhbhum — exercised their franchise with almost equal zeal in both urban and rural pockets keeping the national picture in their minds.
Unlike last general elections, a large number of urban voters registered their presence in cities like Jamshedpur, Ranchi and Bokaro as flocks of youths, women and otherwise nonchalant people from relatively affluent section of society were seen on polling booths to cast their votes.