Jharkhand polls: Over 62.4 pc voter turnout recorded in fourth phase

Over 62.4 per cent voter turnout was recorded at 15 Assembly constituencies covering four districts that went to polls in the fourth phase of elections in Jharkhand on Monday.

The polling concluded peacefully in Deoghar, Giridih, Bokaro and Dhanbad districts where 6,101 polling stations, over 69 per cent, were categorised as "critical", the Election Commission (EC) said.

"The final Voting Turnout will be known after the verification and scrutiny of Presiding Officers' Diaries and other documents," the EC said, adding that over 64.6 per cent voting was recorded in the 2014 Assembly polls.

As many as 47,85,009 voters, including 7,430 service voters and 64,318 PwD voters, voted to decided the fate of 198 male, 22 female and a third gender candidate in Madhupur, Deoghar, Bagodar, Jamua, Gandey, Giridih, Dumri, Bokaro, Chandankiyari, Sindri, Nirsa, Dhanbad, Jharia, Tundi and Baghmara Assembly seats.

"The commission put in place an elaborate mechanism to curb the misuse of money power. The total value of seizures across the state till Monday stands at Rs 16.97 crore," the commission said.

The commission said it received no complaint regarding EVM/VVPAT in the fourth phase of polls.

The third phase of elections took place in 17 Assembly constituencies covering 8 districts on December 12.

The second phase of elections to Jharkhand Legislative Assembly took place in 20 Assembly constituencies on December 7, while the first phase of voting took place on November 30.

The fifth and the last phase of voting will take place on December 20 and the counting of votes will be held on December 23.