New Delhi: Voting is underway for the second phase of the five-phased state elections in 18 seats in Jammu & Kashmir and 20 seats spread across seven Maoist-hit tribal districts of Jharkhand amid tight security.
Voters queue up in Jammu
Voters lined up at polling stations across the Jammu region in the second of the five-phase elections in Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday.
However, intense morning fog and winter chill prevented them to come out in large numbers in the Kashmir Valley.
Balloting began in 18 assembly constituencies Tuesday, officials said.
Enthusiastic voters lined up in queues outside polling stations in Udhampur, Chenani, Ramnagar and Reasi constituencies, while the voter turnout was low in the morning in Gulabgarh, Gool Arnas, Mendhar and Poonch Havelli constituencies of the Jammu region.
In the Valley, voters could not come out in large numbers in south Kashmir Devsar, Homeshallibugh, Noorabad and Kulgam constituencies because of the cold winter.
In the north Kashmir Kupwara district also where polling has begun for five constituencies, the voter turnout was low in the morning.
Officials said voting is expected to pick up as the day warms up.
Over 1.5 million voters will get to decide the political fate of 175 candidates in the fray. Polling started at 8 a.m. and will end at 4 p.m.
Voting begins in Jharkhand assembly polls
Balloting began Tuesday for 20 of the 81 assembly seats in the second of the five-phase elections in Jharkhand, officials said.
Over 44 lakh voters will decide the fate of 223 candidates in the fray.
A total of 5,051 polling booths have been set up for the second phase.
Polling began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 5 p.m. in Jamshedpur (East) and Jamshedpur (West). Balloting will end at 3 p.m. in the other 18 constituencies.
In the second phase, 17 of the 20 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes. The Bharatiya Janata Party had won eight of the seats in the 2009 assembly polls.
Two former chief ministers – Arjun Munda and Madhu Koda – are contesting from Seraikela and Majhgao seats, respectively.
