12.22 per cent polling in Jharkhand till 9am

Ranchi: An estimated 12.22 per cent of the 65,87,028 electorate cast their votes till 9 am on Monday in four Lok Sabha constituencies of Jharkhand, in the second phase of polling in the state, an election official said.

Voters queued up before booths in Koderma, Ranchi, Khunti (ST) and Hazaribag constituencies since early morning to elect their representatives from among 61 contestants. Police said there was no untoward incident reported so far from any part of the four constituencies.

While Jayant Sinha of the BJP is seeking a re-election from Hazaribag, BJP candidate Arjun Munda is taking on Kalicharan Munda of the Congress in Khunti constituency. Congress candidate Subodh Kant Sahay is facing BJPs Sanjay Seth from Ranchi.

Babulal Marandi, the president of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), is pitted against BJPs Annapurna Devi in Koderma. Of the total electorate, 31,44,679 are female and 83 belong to the third gender.

Polling will be held in 8,834 polling stations till 4 pm amid tight security, the election official said.