Addressing a press meeting today, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has announced the poll dates for Jharkhand Legislative assembly. The state will go to polls for 81 assembly seats. Polls will be conducted in five phases.
The term of the exisiting assembly ends on January 5 next year.
Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora: Phase-1: Polls on 30 November, phase 2: Polls on 7 December, phase 3: Polls on 12 December, phase 4: Polls on 16th December, phase 5: Polls on 20th December, and counting on 23rd December. https://t.co/ZI432DMXdo pic.twitter.com/AhZiX4TAw3
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2019
Jharkhand Election Schedule-
- Phase-1: Polls on 30 November
- Phase 2: Polls on 7 December
- Phase 3: Polls on 12 December
- Phase 4: Polls on 16 December
- Phase 5: Polls on 20 December
Counting of votes will take place on 23rd December. The Model Code of Conduct has come into the force since the moment the Election Commission has announced the dates. According to CEC Sunil Arora, a total of 2.26 crore electors exists in the state which includes 1.18 crore male and 1.08 crore female.
In the first phase, elections will be conducted across 13 Assembly constituencies such as Chatra (SC), Gumla (ST), Latehar (SC), Daltonganj and Garhwa.
In the second phase, elections will be conducted on 20 Assembly constituencies. Prominent regions are Jamshedpur East, Jamshedpur West, Chaibasa (ST), and Khunti (ST).
In the third phase, 17 assembly constituencies go for polls. Kodarma, Hazaribagh, Simaria (SC) and Ranchi are some of the areas that will vote in this phase.
In the fourth phase, 15 constituencies will go for polls which include regions like Jamua (SC), Giridih, Bokaro, Dhanbad, and Jharia.
In the fifth and final phase, polls will be conducted across16 assembly constituencies, Litipara (ST), Dumka (ST), Godda and Mahagama being some of the prominent regions.
2014 Assembly elections
Even the 2014 assembly elections were held in five phases just like this time.
In previous assembly elections, Bhartiya Janta Party won as it emerged as the single largest party with 37 seats in the 81-seat Assembly. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha secured 19 seats, while Jharkhand Vikas Mocha (JVM) won eight seats. Congress could only secure victory on six seats though.
The BJP received 31.26% of the total valid votes, followed by JMM, Congress, and JYM at 20.43%, 10.46%, and 9.99%, respectively.
Raghubar Das was made the 10th chief minister of Jharkhand on 28 December 2014.