Ranchi- Campaigning for the February 23 elections to 48 municipal bodies across Jharkhand concluded at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Voting will take place in a single phase on Monday, February 23, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., while counting of votes is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. on February 27.
The elections are being held for nine municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils, and 19 Nagar Panchayats across the state.
Along with the posts of mayor and chairperson, voters will elect ward councillors in 1,087 wards. However, elections in 38 wards across 16 urban local bodies were decided unopposed, with only one candidate remaining in the fray. These candidates have already been declared elected by the respective returning officers.
After the completion of nomination and scrutiny, a total of 6,288 candidates are contesting the polls. This includes 560 candidates for mayor and chairperson positions and 5,728 candidates for ward councillor posts. Earlier, 38 candidates withdrew their nominations, while 424 nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny.
With the campaign period now over, public meetings, rallies, and processions are prohibited. Candidates, however, are allowed to continue door-to-door outreach to voters.
The State Election Commission has completed all preparations for the polls. Polling personnel began departing for their designated stations in several districts on Saturday, while departures in some areas are scheduled for Sunday.
Voting will be conducted using ballot papers, and there will be no NOTA (None of the Above) option. Voters must cast their vote in favour of one of the contesting candidates.
A dry day will be observed in all polling areas, with the sale of liquor strictly prohibited. District Election Officers have been instructed to submit status reports to the State Election Commission every two hours to enable prompt action in case of any irregularities.
These municipal elections are considered significant as reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, and backward classes have been implemented in urban local bodies for the first time. The move is expected to improve representation and promote broader participation in urban governance.
The election process began on February 4, with symbols allotted on February 7. With campaigning concluded, the administration’s focus has shifted to ensuring free, fair, and peaceful polling. In line with the Commission’s directives, extensive security arrangements have been put in place, and police along with security forces carried out flag marches in several cities, including Ranchi, on Saturday to instill confidence among voters.
With inputs from IANS