Stating that the assembly elections in Jharkhand witnessed the highest turnout in the state's history, the Election Commission on Saturday announced that, while the turnout today was average 71.26 percent, the overall polling percentage in the state in all phases was 66.03 percent.
"On the conclusion of elections in Jharkhand, I would like to thank all the voters to begin with who participated with great enthusiasm and this time it has been the highest turnover in any election in Jharkhand. The overall turnout which has been reported till now is 66.03 percent and in this phase is 71.26," Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha told mediapersons here while adding that the figures could see a correction when the final report reaches.
Thanking all the stakeholders for their hard work while conducting the assembly elections in Jharkhand, he said, "So, on this occasion I would also like to thank the entire electoral machinery, the security forces and all the stakeholders who worked so hard in the conduct of the election process in Jharkhand."
Giving a view about the enforcement measures taken by the Election Commission, Sinha said, "Overall in the entire five phases the Commission had deployed eight expenditure observers, and there were 262 flying squads and 282 static surveillance team....35 excise teams were deployed who registered 3177 cases and 1437 persons were arrested."
Regarding the amount of drugs and cash seized in total during the polling, he said, " The total amount of cash seized in the state till date was 1.17 crores and the total liquor seized by the authorities was 1.62 lakh litres. There were seven cases of paid news reported. For the drugs, narcotics etc are concerned, 1.41 lakh kg of such materials were recovered."
In Jharkhand, the polling for the fifth and final phase of assembly elections was conducted today across 16 constituencies spread over six districts of Dumka, Godda, Sahibganj, Jamtara, Deoghar and Pakur in the Santhal Pargana region.