Jharkhand: Ramgarh Assembly bypoll underway, 18 candidates in fray

RAMGRAH: Voting for the bypolls in Jharkhand's Ramgarh assembly constituency began at 7 am on Monday, amid tight security. Eighteen candidates including 14 Independent candidates are in fray. Voting will continue till 5 pm today.

A total of 405 polling stations have been set up in the Ramgarh by-election, of which 62 are urban and 343 are rural. Over 3.35 lakh voters, including 1.73 lakh men and 1.62 women are eligible to exercise their franchise in the bye-election.

Arrangements for drinking water, help desk, toilets, etc. have been made at all the polling booths. Along with this, state-level and centre-level monitoring is also being done through webcams.

The Election Commission has made all concrete arrangements for free and fair polling. Meanwhile, first-time voters are being honoured with roses in Model Booth No. 1 and 2 of Ramgarh.

In this sequence, student Deepa Kumari, who cast her vote for the first time, said that we have voted for such a government, which will pay special attention to law and order including education.

A 77-year-old veteran voter Umesh Singh, who came to vote in the model booth, said, "Here polling is being conducted peacefully by the administration, no fear in casting votes."

Ravindra Prasad Sharma, who was the first to vote in model booth number 1 and 2, said, "The polling is being conducted here in a clean and fair environment by the district administration and honoured me with a rose flower for casting my first vote, which is a matter of great joy."

"All the arrangements of the district administration are absolutely correct, clean and fair elections are being conducted in a fear-free environment. Polling started at 7 am," the presiding officer Jitendra Kumar said.

Ramgarh, informed Election Commission, recorded a 23 per cent voter turnout till 11 am.

The Congress has fielded Mamta Devi's husband, Bajrang Mahto and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) Party has nominated its leader Sunita Choudhary.

Jharkhand's Ramgarh election was necessary because of the disqualification of Congress leader Mamta Devi.

By-elections to one assembly constituency, each in Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and two assembly constituencies in Maharashtra are also being held today.

The parliamentary constituency of Lakshadweep will also vote in bypolls today. Earlier in January, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the bye-elections to six assembly seats across five states.

The counting of votes to all bypolls will be held on March 2. Meanwhile, assembly elections are also underway in the northeastern states of Meghalaya and Nagaland.