Ahead of the voting in the first phase of Assembly elections in Jharkhand on Wednesday, Returning Officer for Ranchi Assembly constituency, Utkarsh Kumar said that the mock poll will begin at 5.30 am after which polling will commence.

"Polling parties for all 374 polling booths have gathered here to collect polling material. Later, they will leave for their respective booths in GPS-tracked vehicles. The mock poll will begin at 5.30 am, after which polling will start. All basic facilities including drinking water, toilets, and web-casting facilities are available at all polling stations. All preparations are in place for polling. Security and CAPF deployed at polling stations. All rules and regulations laid down by the Election Commission are being followed."

He further said that adequate security has been deployed at every polling booth.

"In more sensitive places CAPF has been deployed. In other places, district police have been deployed. For patrolling police officials have been deployed. EVMs would be escorted by police to the Bhawan after polling. In the strongroom, three-layer security has been provided as per Election Commission directions. Everything is being CCTV monitored," he further added.

Voting in 43 constituencies is scheduled for tomorrow while the second phase is scheduled for November 20 in the remaining 38 constituencies. The votes will be counted on November 23. In the previous assembly election, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha won 30 seats, the BJP won 25 and Congress won 16 seats.

In total, 15,344 polling stations have been set up across the state. Over 200 companies of security forces are deployed in strategic locations to maintain order and safeguard the electoral process. A total of 683 contenders, including 73 women, competed for seats in this phase.

The 43 constituencies include 17 general seats, 20 reserved for Scheduled Tribes, and six for Scheduled Castes.

List of constituencies going to polls in Jharkhand Phase 1 include

1. Kodarma

2. Barkatha

3. Barhi

4. Barkagaon

5. Hazaribagh

6. Simaria (SC)

7. Chatra (SC)

8. Baharagora

9. Ghatsila (ST)

10. Potka (ST)

11. Jugsalai (SC)

12. Jamshedpur East

13. Jamshedpur West

14. Ichagarh

15. Seraikella (ST)

16. Chaibasa (ST)

17. Majhgaon (ST)

18. Jaganathpur (ST)

19. Manoharpur (ST)

20. Chakradharpur (ST)

21. Kharsawan (ST)

22. Tamar (ST)

23. Torpa (ST)

24. Khunti (ST)

25. Ranchi

26. Hatia

27. Kanke (SC)

28. Mandar (ST)

29. Sisai (ST)

30. Gumla (ST)

31. Bishunpur (ST)

32. Simdega (ST)

33. Kolebira (ST)

34. Lohardaga (ST)

35. Manika (ST)

36. Latehar (SC)

37. Panki

38. Daltonganj

39. Bishrampur

40. Chhatarpur (SC)

41. Hussainabad

42. Garhwa

43. Bhawanathpur

Former Chief Minister and BJP candidate Champai Soren is contesting from Seraikella while Jamshedpur East is witnessing Congress' Ajoy Kumar pitted against Purnima Das Sahu, daughter-in-law of former Jharkhand Chief Minister and current Odisha Governor Raghubar Das.

In Jamshedpur West, Congress's Health Minister Banna Gupta is facing off against JD(U) leader Saryu Roy, who defeated Raghubar Das, who was then chief minister in 2019.

In Jaganathpur, BJP's Geeta Koda, wife of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda is pitted against Congress leader Sona Ram Sinku. In Ranchi, the JMM has fielded sitting Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji.

The tenure of the 5th Jharkhand Assembly is set to conclude on January 5, 2025.

A coalition of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Indian National Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal formed the government after the last Assembly elections, with Soren assuming the role of Chief Minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)