Jharkhand: 39,513 nominations filed for first phase of panchayat polls

A total of 39,513 candidates filed nominations for the first phase of panchayat elections in 72 blocks of 21 districts in Jharkhand, officials said on Sunday.

The nomination process for the first phase, which started on April 16, concluded on Saturday, State Election Commission (SEC) officials said.

A total of 1,127 panchayats will go to the polls in the first phase on May 14, while counting will take place on May 17, they said.

In the first phase, polling will be held to elect 146 zilla parishad members, 1,405 panchayat samiti members, 1,127 mukhiyas and 14,079 panchayat members, they added.

A total of 1,032 nominations were received for the posts of zilla parishad members, 5,233 for panchayat samiti members, 7,855 nominations for the posts of mukhiyas and 25,393 for panchayat members.

The second phase of polling will be held on May 19, and the votes will be counted on May 22. In that phase, polling will be held in 50 blocks of 16 districts.

So far, 4,261 nominations have been filed for the second phase of polling till April 23.

The elections will be held in four phases between May 14 and May 27.

In all, polling will be held to elect 4,345 mukhiyas, 5,341 panchayat samiti members, 536 zilla parishad members, and 53,479 gram panchayat members, officials said.