Jharkhand voting in final phase of Assembly polls today

In the fifth and final phase of the elections, voting will take place in 16 seats.

Nearly 40 lakh people are expected to exercise their franchise as polling started at 7 am.

While voting will end at 3 pm in Borio, Barhait, Litipara, Maheshpur, and Sikaripara districts, it ill continue till 5 pm in the other seats.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief and former Chief Minister Hemant Soren is one of the candidates whose fate will be decided today.

He is the CM candidate of the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance.

He is fighting from Dumka and Barhait seats.

The former CM's key opposition in the poll is Simon Malto of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Fates of 237 candidates will be sealed by voters in the final phase.

PM Narendra Modi urge people to vote in the final phase.

So far election has been held in 65 out of total 81 assembly constituencies in the previous four phases of the polls.

Voting in the first phase of the poll was held on Nov 30.

The last phase of polling was held on Dec 16.

Counting of votes will take place on Dec 23.

This election result assumes importance specially after the PM Naredra Modi-led Centre passed the new citizenship law which triggered protests across the nation.