Ranchi: Voting for the municipal elections in Jharkhand began on Saturday, with polling underway across 48 urban local bodies. A total of 4,333,574 voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 2,207,203 men, 2,126,227 women, and 144 third-gender voters.
Elections are being held for the posts of mayor and municipal chairperson, with 562 candidates in the fray, while the fate of 5,562 ward councillor candidates will be decided through the ballot. For the smooth conduct of polling, 4,304 polling booths have been set up, where voting is taking place from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Authorities said all arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful and orderly elections.
From the state capital Ranchi to other towns, voters are actively participating in the process of choosing their urban governments. Polling began at 7 a.m., with citizens arriving at booths to exercise their democratic right. Unlike previous elections, voting is being conducted through ballot papers instead of EVMs, a change that has added to the visible enthusiasm among voters.
Meanwhile, Ajay Nath Shah Deo, President of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association and former Deputy Mayor of Ranchi, cast his vote in the “Ranchi Municipal Election – 2026.” Urging citizens to participate in large numbers, he appealed to the people of Ranchi to take part in what he described as the festival of democracy and to use their vote to help ensure the city’s development.