NE NEWS SERVICE
RANCHI, DEC 20
Polling in the fifth and final phase of polling for Jharkhand assembly election began on Friday. Over 40-lakh voters will exercise their franchise in 16 assembly constituencies and that will decide the fate of two ministers and a former chief minister and JMM Working President Hemant Soren from Dumka and Barhait.
A total number of 237 candidates are in fray in 16 assembly constituencies in the final phase of polling including Social Welfare Minister Louis Marandi from Dumka, Agriculture Minister Randhir Singh from Sarath.
There are 29 women contestants in the final and the fifth phase of Jharkhand assembly elections.
Of the 16 seats, five areas considered to be Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected.
Chief electoral officer (CEO), Vinay Kumar Choubey said, “Few pockets in this phase are identified as affected by left-wing extremism (LWE). We have ensured adequate security in the entire booth. Eight polling stations falling in LWE hit areas have already been relocated. Besides, officials of 28 polling stations in LWE sensitive areas have been dropped by helicopters.”
He said out of total 5,389 polling stations, 396 have been declared hyper LWE sensitive, while 208 LWE sensitive. “Besides, 1,321 polling stations have been declared hyper sensitives and 1,765 sensitives for other various reasons,” Choubey said.
Of the total 237 candidates in poll fray, 58 contestants have declared criminal charges against them in their affidavit to the election commission, while 42 of them have declared facing serious criminal cases.
Richest candidate is from LJP
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) candidate Birendra Pradhan, who is contesting from Jarmnudi, is the richest candidate in the fifth phase with total assets worth Rs 37.54 crore, who is followed by AJSU Party candidate Aquil Akhtar from Pakur seat having total assets worth Rs 36.53 crore, according to the ADR.
