Sanjay Pandey
Ranchi EW News: In the upcoming fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand, scheduled for May 13, a total of 45 candidates are contesting, including 6 female candidates. The voting will take place from 7 am to 5 pm in the constituencies of Palamu, Lohardaga, Singhbhum, and Khunti. Extensive security arrangements have been made in Naxal-affected areas, with helicopter arrangements in many regions to transport polling officials. Most of the areas where elections are being held are rural and remote, presenting challenges in ensuring peaceful and fair voting. Therefore, comprehensive security measures have been implemented a month prior to the election day. The fate of the 45 candidates, including the 6 female candidates, will be decided by the voters. According to the Election Commission data, there are 9 candidates in Palamu, 15 in Lohardaga, 14 in Singhbhum, and 7 in Khunti. The voters will determine the outcome on May 13. Notably, there is no female candidate in Lohardaga.
Additionally, in the first phase of voting in Jharkhand, 519 polling centers were established, managed by female polling officials. The responsibility of overseeing the maximum number of female polling officials lies in Khunti. This election also sees an increased role of female polling officials. Moreover, 7595 model polling centers have been set up. In the first phase, 14 model polling centers were established, where all polling officials will be equipped. As per the Election Commission’s data, all 7595 polling centers in the first phase will be model polling centers, facilitating webcasting arrangements. In the initial phase, 9114 EVMs will be used, with voting percentage updates available every two hours on the Voting Percentage app.
According to Chief Election Officer K Ravi Kumar, in the first phase of elections, a total of 9874 VVPATs, 9114 CUs, and 9114 BUs will be utilized. Information reveals that in the first phase, there are a total of 639 urban and 6956 rural polling centers across all four parliamentary constituencies, where polling will be conducted from 7 am to 5 pm. Through the Voter Turnout app, information on voting percentages will be available every two hours, reflecting the keen interest of the public in the polling process on election day. With various innovative initiatives undertaken by the Election Commission to increase voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, it will be intriguing to witness the enthusiasm of voters in the fourth phase.
