Counting of votes for Jharkhand’s Ramgarh assembly by-poll begins

Counting of votes for the Ramgarh assembly by-election began on Thursday, an official said. Counting started at 8 am at Ramgarh college, some 40 km from the state capital Ranchi, said Ramgarh SDO cum Returning officer Md Javed Hussain.

"Counting of votes is being carried out by 120 personnel including counting observers, assistants and counting supervisors at 40 tables and will be completed in 11 rounds," Hussain told PTI. A voter turnout of over 67.96 per cent was recorded in the Ramgarh assembly constituency bypoll on February 27.

Though 18 candidates, including 14 Independents, were in the fray, the contest would be mainly between the Congress, an ally of the ruling JMM-led coalition, and the AJSU Party, which has tied up with the BJP for the bypoll.

The by-election was necessitated after the disqualification of Congress legislator Mamta Devi, following her conviction in a criminal case. The Congress has fielded Mamta Devi’s husband, Bajrang Mahto, from the seat while the AJSU Party has nominated its leader Sunita Choudhary.