65% polling in last phase of Jharkhand panchayat polls

Amid sporadic incidents, the fifth and final phase of panchayat polls today ended in Jharkhand with 65% polling, state election commission sources said in Ranchi.

Amid sporadic incidents, the fifth and final phase of panchayat polls today ended in Jharkhand with 65% polling, state election commission sources said in Ranchi.

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In Garhwa district, Maoists intercepted four vehicles carrying polling personnel at Madgari village last night and ordered to alight them and snatched away 65 mobile phones, police said.

A total of 376 companies of security forces had been deployed to oversee polling in 242 panchayats situated in five districts - Garhwa, Palamau, Giridih, Ranchi and West Singhbhum.

A total of 10,262 candidates for various posts, including the post for mukhia, contested the polls.

The previous four polling phases were conducted free of violence.