72.54 per cent turnout in 3rd phase of Jharkhand panchayat polls

The third phase of polling in panchayat elections in Jharkhand on Saturday witnessed a 72.54 per cent turnout, an official said.

Polling took place in 70 blocks in 22 districts. There were a total of 44.63 lakh voters and 14,098 polling stations open from 7 am to 3 pm.

"The overall polling percentage in the third phase was 72.54 per cent with Deoghar district recording the maximum turnout at 81 per cent while Simdgea was the minimum with 61.22 per cent," said State Election Commissioner Shiv Basant.

The third phase seals the fate of 35,469 candidates contending for 14,098 posts of members of Gram Panchayat, 1,142 posts of Mukhiya, 1,404 posts of members of Panchayat Samiti and 138 posts of members of Zilla Parishad.

Panchayats in India have three tiers: Gram panchayat, Block panchayat, and District pachayat.

Around 50,000 security personnel were deployed to ensure peacefull polling. The fourth and final phase of polling will be held on December 12.