Around 54.3 per cent out of 30,96,854 voters, including 14,61,848 women, exercised their franchise during phase-II of Assembly elections in Jharkhand on Wednesday, even as Maoists attacked a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) foot patrol and killed a constable in Giridih district.
Polling was held in 14 constituencies in seven districts through 4,315 polling stations, and 259 candidates including 15 women were in the fray.
Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla described the polls as “satisfactory.” The Commission received a report about the breaking of an Electronic Voting Machine from Hazaribagh district, which was being verified.
Jawan killed
The CISF jawan — Harpal Singh of Hoshiarpur in Punjab — was killed when Maoists triggered a landmine in Teliabahiar while the security personnel were on a foot patrol during the polls. Polling in three Assembly seats in Giridih district, however, was not affected by to the incident.
In another incident in the district, Maoists blew up a culvert at Matiobera.
No voters turned up at six booths in the naxal-affected Dumri Assembly segment, while zero to four votes were recorded in 15 booths in the Tamar constituency.
The polls were held in: Tamar (ST), Silli, Khijri (ST), Mandar (ST), Gomia, Gandey, Giridih, Dumri, Barhi, Barkagaon, Mandu, Ramgarh, Kodarma and Khunti (ST).
