Campaigning ends for third phase polling in Jharkhand

Campaigning for the third phase of polls to the Jharkhand assembly, scheduled for Dec 9, ended Sunday.

In this phase, 289 candidates, including 26 females, are in the fray for 17 of the total 81 assembly constituencies.

The state is holding five-phase elections that end Dec 18 and the counting of votes is to take place Dec 23. The first phase of the polls took place Nov 25 for 26 seats while the second phase of the polls took place Dec 2 for 14 seats.

In the third phase, the electoral fate of 289 candidates will be decided by 50,16,657 voters, including 23,55,728 female.

The polling will take place on 5,865 booths. Voting will start at 7 a.m. and will end till 3 p.m. in 15 constituencies while in two constituencies voting will continue till 5 p.m.

Former chief minister Babulal Marandi, former Jharkhand assembly speaker C.P. Singh, ministers Annapurna Devi of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Rajendra Prasad Singh of the Congress and Jai Prakash Bhai Patel of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha are among prominent candidates whose fate will be sealed in the this phase of voting.