Massive Electoral Exercise Underway in Jharkhand's Urban Local Bodies
A significant democratic process is set to unfold across Jharkhand as a total of 43,43,295 registered voters prepare to cast their ballots on Monday. This electoral exercise will determine the fate of 562 mayoral candidates and 5,562 ward councillors contesting for positions across 1,087 wards under 48 urban local bodies (ULBs).
Extensive Polling Infrastructure and Security Deployment
The Jharkhand State Election Commission (JSEC) has established 4,307 polling booths across 2,134 polling stations to facilitate this massive voting process. To ensure smooth and secure elections, approximately 50,000 personnel, including magistrates, polling staff, and police officers, will be deployed throughout the state.
JSEC secretary Radheshyam Prasad provided detailed insights into the security arrangements, stating, "A total of 896 booths were categorised as highly sensitive, 2,448 as sensitive, and 963 as general. The categorisation was done on the basis of past history of violence, dominant nature of candidates, presence of weaker sections of society in booths, political causes, and others."
Breakdown of Urban Local Bodies and Candidate Statistics
Of the 48 ULBs participating in these elections, the composition includes:
- 9 municipal corporations
- 20 municipal councils
- 19 nagar parishads
The candidate landscape reveals interesting statistics. Initially, 641 candidates filed nominations for mayoral posts, but after scrutiny, 31 nominations were cancelled and 48 candidates withdrew, leaving 562 contenders in the fray. For councillor positions, 6,123 candidates filed nominations, with 191 forms cancelled, 322 withdrawals, and 41 candidates winning uncontested.
Security Focus on Sensitive Booths and Special Arrangements
The Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC) leads with 169 highly sensitive booths, the highest in the state, followed by Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) with 128 booths, and Giridih Municipal Corporation with 96 booths. Regarding sensitive booths, DMC again tops with 647, followed by RMC with 510, while Medininagar, Hazaribag, and Mango Municipal Corporations each have 105 sensitive booths.
Prasad elaborated on the security measures, noting, "Polling parties, along with over 50,000 security personnel and magistrates, were dispatched to their designated locations on Sunday. CCTV cameras have not been installed as adequate security personnel have been deployed."
Special arrangements have been made to ensure accessibility, with all booths equipped with ramps, wheelchairs, and other necessary facilities to facilitate voting for differently-abled citizens.
Ranchi's Preparations and Police Deployment Strategy
In the state capital, Ranchi deputy commissioner-cum-district election officer Manjunath Bhajantri personally inspected the pre-poll process at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium. Ranchi has established 909 polling stations for 53 wards under the Ranchi Municipal Corporation and 16 polling stations for the Bundu Nagar Panchayat.
Inspector general (operations) and Jharkhand Police spokesperson Michael Raj detailed the security deployment, stating, "Around 7,000 home guards and 30 echo companies, each unit comprising 80 personnel, have been provided to the districts. The district police would use 30 per cent of its existing strength for the polls."
Ranchi superintendent of police (Rural) Praveen Pushkar added, "Around 3,500 police personnel would be deployed on poll duty across the district. Two super zones and six zones have been created for the RMC and the Bundu Nagar Panchayat elections. These zones would be led by DSP-rank officers."
Additionally, 100 sector magistrates have been deployed specifically for the RMC and Bundu Nagar panchayat elections, with continuous patrolling by magistrates already underway according to Ranchi district officials.
Election Timeline and Administrative Framework
The announcement for these crucial ULB elections was officially made on January 27, setting in motion the extensive preparations that have culminated in this comprehensive electoral arrangement. Each polling booth will be managed by a presiding officer and four polling staff, supported by sector magistrates and other administrative personnel to ensure proper conduct throughout the voting process.
