Ranchi, Dec 8 (IANS) Jharkhand recorded 55.3 percent voting in the third phase of assembly elections Tuesday. Though the polling was largely peaceful, it was marred by Maoists killing two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel in Dumka district, officials said.
The two BSF personnel were killed when Maoist guerrillas opened fire in Dumka.

“Maoist rebels started indiscriminate firing near Sarsanda village that comes within the Shikaripara assembly constituency in Dumka. While one jawan died immediately, another died on way to hospital,” V.H. Deshmukh, Jharkhand police spokesperson, told IANS.

“A total of 55.3 percent polling has taken place in the third phase of polls. The highest polling percentage was recorded at Jarmundi assembly constituency at 62 percent. No polling took place at booth number 260 of Jama constituency,” an election official said.

The third phase of polling started at 7 a.m. on a dull note but it gained momentum after about three hours. The voting time has been advanced from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. due to security reasons.

The results of the balloting will decide the fate of five former ministers, including former deputy chief minister Stephen Marandi and Hemant Soren, son of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren.

In Dumka, a police complaint was lodged against Hemant Soren for instigating supporters to attack the Congress nominee’s office.

Security had been beefed up for the voting as half of the 11 assembly constituencies that went to the polls are considered Maoist strongholds.

“The election was by and large peaceful barring the one incident,” said Deshmukh.

The 11 assembly seats where polling took place are Bermo, Bokaro, Chankyarai, Dhanwar, Bagodar, Jamua, Hazaribagh, Shikaripara, Dumka, Jarmundi and Jama.

The other key candidates among the 273 in the fray are Shailendra Mahto of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), former minister Harinayan Rai, who is in jail in connection with a graft case and another former minister Nalin Soren, a JMM nominee who also faces a corruption case.

In the first and second phases Nov 25 and Dec 2, a total of 40 constituencies saw polling. The five-phased polls for 81 seats ends Dec 18 and votes will be counted Dec 23.