63 per cent vote in by-polls for two Jharkhand assembly seats

Ranchi, May 16:  Around 63 percent polling was recorded on Monday in the by-elections for Godda and Panki assembly seats in Jharkhand.

“Polling was by and large peaceful, barring a few scuffles between party workers. Godda witnessed around 64 percent polling and Panki 62 percent,” an Election Commission official told IANS.

Fifteen candidates are in the fray for the Godda seat, including Amit Mandal (Bharatiya Jata Party), Sanjay Yadav (Rashtriya Jata Dal) and Sanjiv Marik Yadav (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha). Nine candidates are in the race for Panki, including Kushwaha Sashi Bhushan Mehta (JMM), Devendra Kumar Singh (Congress) and Lal Suraj (BJP). The by-polls were necessitated following the deaths of Godda’s BJP MLA Raghundan Mandal and Panki’s Congress MLA Bidesh Singh. The results will be declared on May 19. (IANS)