Ranchi, May 26: Bypolls for the two seats of Gomia and Silli will be
held on Monday with eligible voters will be able to cast their votes
from 7am to 3 pm.
The counting of the votes will take place on May 31. In wake of the
polls in both these constituencies a public holiday has been declared.
A total of 13 candidates are in the race for Gomia while another 10
are in the fray from Silli seat.
In Gomia it is a three way contest between Madhav Lal Singh of the
BJP, Dr Lambodar Mahto of the AJSU party and Babita Devi of the JMM
while in Silli it is a direct fight between AJSU supremo Sudesh Mahto
and Seema Mahto of the JMM.
The bypolls for these two cities were necessitated as JMM MLA from
Silli Amit Mahto and JMM MLA from Gomia Yogendra Prasad Mahto lost the
membership of the house after they were convicted in separate cases
and awarded punishment by Ranchi and Ramgarh court respectively.
JMM has fielded Amit Mahto’s wife Seema as the party candidate in
Silli while Babita Devi who is wife of Yogendra Mahto is fighting on
JMM symbol from Gomia. All the opposition parties in the state
including the Congress, JVM, RJD and the Left have decided to extend
support to the JMM candidates in the polls.
Meanwhile the election commission has made elaborate security
arrangements to ensure free and fair polls in these two constituencies
as elaborate number of security personnel have been deployed while in
verey sensitive booths which fall under LWE areas members of polling
party have been sent by helicopter. Voting on these two seats will be
for the first time in the state will be held through VVPAT machines.