Jharkhand Municipal Elections Announced for 48 Urban Bodies, Polling on February 23

Ranchi: After a long delay, the Jharkhand State Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for municipal elections across 48 urban local bodies in the state. Polling will take place on February 23, while vote counting is scheduled for February 27.

State Election Commissioner Alka Tiwari announced the dates at a press conference, stating that the Model Code of Conduct has come into immediate effect in all the concerned municipal areas.

The election process will begin with the filing of nominations on February 4. Scrutiny of nomination papers will follow, and February 6 has been set as the last date for withdrawal of candidatures. Election symbols will be allotted on February 7.

Voting will be conducted in a single phase across Jharkhand from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on February 23, and the results will be declared on February 27.

The elections will be held through ballot papers and on a non-party basis. The Election Commission has clarified that the NOTA option will not be available, making it compulsory for voters to select one of the contesting candidates.

Elections will cover 48 urban local bodies, including nine municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils, and 19 nagar panchayats, encompassing a total of 1,087 wards.

Polls in 13 urban bodies have been pending since 2020, while elections in the remaining municipal corporations and councils, including Ranchi, have not been held since 2022.

For the first time in Jharkhand, reservations have been extended to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, and Other Backward Classes across all municipal bodies.

With inputs from IANS