Jharkhand Urban Local Body Elections 2023: A Democratic Exercise

The stage is set for Jharkhand's urban local body elections, scheduled to occur across 48 municipalities, including the capital Ranchi, on Monday. Voting will commence at 7 am sharp under tight security and will conclude at 5 pm, as confirmed by a State Election Commission (SEC) official.

A remarkable 43.43 lakh voters will participate in this democratic exercise, choosing leaders across 1,042 election-bound wards among nine municipal corporations, 20 nagar parishads, and 19 nagar panchayats. The deployment of polling parties began on Sunday, ensuring their timely arrival for the electoral process. The counting of votes is scheduled for February 27.

With 562 mayoral candidates and 5,562 ward councillors, including a significant number of women, the elections promise active local participation. Security is heightened with 4,307 polling booths, marked by distinct safety categories. Notably, in Ranchi, 11 candidates vie for the mayoral seat, supported by 909 strategically placed polling booths.