Voting to end early across 981 booths over security reasons

Ranchi/Daltonganj/Gumla/Jamshedpur: Voting in as many as 981 polling stations in 38 constituencies across 15 districts would end an hour early during the state assembly elections next month owing to security reasons, the Election Commission stated.

Notably, the normal voting time in the two-phased elections to the 81 assembly seats, scheduled on November 13 and 20, would be 7 am to 5 pm. But voting in LWE-affected booths will end an hour early at 4pm, officials said.

“Threat from LWE groups and the short daytime have been taken into consideration to reduce the timing of voting. The total number of booths in the state is 29,562.”

While speaking to media about starting of nomination process for the first phase, Ranchi district election officer Varun Ranjan stated, “There are 57 booths in Tamar constituency, 21 under Kanke seat and 10 under Mandar constituency where the voting would end is at 4 pm. The timing would be normal in Ranchi and Hatia seats.”

Reports from Gumla stated voting will conclude one hour before at 86 critical polling stations earmarked as terror hit - in both Gumla and Bishunpur assembly constituencies of Gumla district. Gumla consists of three assembly constituencies Gumla, Sisai and Bishunpur.

Of 86, 52 falls under Gumla seat while 34 comes in Bishunpur seat. "Poll timing in these once Red-hit or otherwise super sensitive booths is from 7 am to 4 pm," Gumla deputy commissioner cum DEO Karn Satyarthi said Friday.

Daltonganj assembly constituency returning officer Sulochana Meena declared a change in the timing of voting for 35 booths falling in the constituency. The booths where 7am-4pm voting will take place on Nov 13 are numbered as 373 - 376, 380 - 392, 395 - 399, 405-407, 410- 413, 415- 419 and 422. Daltonganj assembly constituency has 426 booths.

A total of 52 polling booths in East Singhbhum district, which are spread across six assembly segments, will also vote from 7 am to 4 pm. “The decision to cut down the voting period by an hour has been taken from the security perspective. Besides, the location of these booths have also been factored in,” DEO Ananya Mittal said.

Five of the 52 booths come under Baharagora assembly segment while 23 are in Ghatshila assembly segment. Seven booths in Potka assembly segment will vote till 4 pm along with 17 booths in Jugsalai assembly segment. In all, there are 1,913 polling stations across six constituencies. There are over 18.73 lakh voters in total.