Jharkhand: Maoist-affected Dumri Ready For Bypoll Amid Tight Security
Jharkhand: With the deployment of polling officials and security personnel in their respective booths, Maoist-affected Dumri assembly seat is all set for a by-election on Tuesday when nearly three lakh voters will decide the electoral fate of six candidates.
The polling in 373 polling stations, of which 200 are Maoist-affected, will begin at 7 am and continue till 5 pm.
As many as 1,640 polling personnel have been deployed for the exercise, a top official said.
“All preparations are completed for conducting the by-election in Dumri on Tuesday. Polling personnel and security forces have been deployed in all booths of the constituency,” Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar told PTI.
Over 2.98 lakh voters, including 1.44 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in the by-election. The counting of votes will take place on September 8.
Besides central forces, various wings of Jharkhand Police have been deployed to ensure free and peaceful voting, a senior police officer said.
Voting will be held in 373 polling stations in 240 buildings falling in three blocks of two districts — Giridih and Bokaro.
Of the 373 booths, around 200 are Maoist-affected and adequate security has been provided in those, Dumri Sub-divisional Magistrate and returning officer for the bypoll, Md Shahzad Parwez said.
“All the booths will be monitored through webcasting. In case of any health emergency, air ambulance will also be available,” Giridih Deputy Commissioner Naman Priyesh Lakra said.
In the Dumri bypoll, INDIA bloc candidate Bebi Devi is locked in a direct contest with NDA nominee Yashoda Devi.
Dumri has become a prestige seat for both blocs, with ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) asserting that INDIA alliance will begin its victory journey from this seat, while the NDA exuding confidence of snatching the seat from the JMM.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of JMM MLA Jagarnath Mahto, former education minister, in April. Mahto had been representing the seat since 2004.
The JMM has fielded Mahto’s wife Bebi Devi as the INDIA bloc nominee, while AJSU Party has nominated Yashoda Devi as the NDA candidate.
As many as six candidates including three independents are in the fray.
The AIMIM has fielded Md Abdul Mobin Rizvi. However, the AIMIM candidate is facing an FIR for alleged ‘pro-Pakistan’ slogan raised during party chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s public rally in Giridih on August 30.
In the 2019 assembly elections, Jagarnath Mahto had defeated AJSU Party’s Yashoda Devi by a margin of 34,288 votes. AIMIM’s Rizvi was in fourth position with 24,132 votes.
In the 81-member Jharkhand House, the ruling UPA currently has 47 MLAs — JMM 29, Congress 17 and RJD one. The BJP has 26 members and AJSU Party three. The NCP and CPI (ML) have one lawmaker each, apart from two Independents.
