The poll process was unaffected by the bomb attack as it took place in a forest area, Jharkhand deputy commissioner
JHARKHAND| On Saturday a culvert on Gumla-Lohardaga border was blown up by Maoists as the voting polls took place in Jharkhand. No casualty was reported and work of election continues as it does not affect the election process.
Gumla deputy commissioner Shashi Ranjan, “There was a report of a bomb blast and a culvert was reportedly blown up. We are probing the incident”.
Ranjan said the poll process was unaffected by the incident as it took place in a forest area. “There was a polling station in the area but it had been relocated to a safer area,” the deputy commissioner said.
The Maoists asked the voters to boycott the poll process in the state. To hold a peaceful election process high-security arrangement was ensure.
Polling is underway in thirteen constituencies in six Maoist hit districts of Jharkhand wherein a state minister eight sitting legislators and state PCC president are key contestants. The thirteen seats are Chatra, Gumla, Bishunpur, Lohardaga, Manika, Latehar, Panki, Daltonganj, Bishrampur, Chhatarpur, Hussainabad, Garhwa and Bhawanathpur. Of these, Chatra, Gumla, Lohardaga, Latehar and Garhwa are designated by the ministry of home affairs as affected by LWE.
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A 3.7 million-strong electorate, including 1.8 million women and five transgender voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 189 candidates, including 15 women, in the first phase. Of the total candidates, 44 are facing criminal charges and 59 are crorepatis, according to the poll affidavits.
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