Ranchi, Feb 21 (IANS) Campaigning for the February 23 elections in 48 municipal bodies across Jharkhand came to an end at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Voting will be held in a single phase on Monday (February 23) from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Counting of votes will begin at 8 a.m. on February 27.

The elections are being conducted for nine municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils and 19 Nagar Panchayats across the state.

Apart from the posts of mayor and chairperson, polling will be held for ward councillors in 1,087 wards. However, elections in 38 wards across 16 urban bodies have already been decided unopposed, as only one candidate remained in the fray. These candidates have been declared elected by the respective returning officers.

After completion of nomination and scrutiny, a total of 6,288 candidates remain in the contest, including 560 candidates for mayor and chairperson posts and 5,728 candidates for ward councillor positions.

Earlier, 38 candidates withdrew their nominations, while 424 nomination papers were rejected during scrutiny.

With the end of campaigning, public meetings, rallies and processions are no longer permitted. Candidates, however, may continue door-to-door contact with voters.

The State Election Commission has made all preparations for the conduct of polls. Polling parties began departing for their assigned destinations in several districts on Saturday, while in some areas, they will leave on Sunday.

Voting will be conducted through ballot papers, and there is no option of NOTA. Voters will have to cast their vote in favour of one of the contesting candidates.

A dry day will be observed in the areas where polling will be held, and the sale of liquor will remain completely prohibited. District Election Officers have been directed to send status reports to the State Election Commission every two hours to enable swift action in case of any irregularities.

These municipal elections are considered significant as, for the first time, reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women and backward classes have been implemented in urban local bodies. The move is expected to enhance representation and ensure broader participation in urban governance.

The election process began on February 4, and election symbols were allotted on February 7. With campaigning now over, the administration’s focus has shifted to ensuring free, fair and peaceful polling.

Following the Commission’s directives, elaborate security arrangements have been made across all municipal bodies. Police and security forces conducted flag marches in several cities, including Ranchi, on Saturday as part of confidence-building measures ahead of voting.

–IANS

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