Ranchi, November 20: The second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections concluded on Wednesday, with 67.59% voter turnout recorded across 38 constituencies in 12 districts.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), Jamtara registered the highest turnout at 76.16%, followed by Pakur at 75.88%, and Deoghar at 72.46%. The lowest turnout was reported in Bokaro at 60.97%, while other districts like Dhanbad and Hazaribagh recorded 63.39% and 64.41%, respectively. Ranchi, the state capital, saw a turnout of 72.01%.
A total of 528 candidates are contesting in this phase, including 55 women and one third-gender candidate. Prominent figures include Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana Soren, and sister-in-law Sita Soren from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Notable BJP candidates include former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri.
The elections are primarily a battle between the JMM-led alliance and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Both camps expressed confidence in their respective victories.
The first phase of the Jharkhand elections covered 43 of the 81 assembly seats on November 13. The final results for all 81 seats will be announced on November 23, alongside the outcomes of the Maharashtra Assembly elections and various by-polls across the country.
Polling in Maharashtra for all 288 Assembly seats and in by-poll constituencies like Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Palakkad (Kerala) also concluded on Wednesday, with voter turnout at 58.22%, 56.78%, and 62.25%, respectively.
