50 percent voting in Jharkhand re-poll

September 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday appealed to President Pratibha Patil for early elections in Jharkhand, which is under the President's Rule since Jan 19. "We informed the president that keeping the legislative assembly in suspended animation had no logic as no political party in Jharkhand is in a position to form a new government," Raghuvar Das, Jharkhand BJP president, told reporters after meeting the president.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The union cabinet Thursday decided to extend president's rule in Jharkhand for another six months beyond July 18. The decision was taken on the basis of Governor Syed Sibtey Razi's report dated June 16, according to which Jharkhand continues to be in a state of political impasse and no party was willing to form the government, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

May 14th, 2009 RANCHI - Notwithstanding the various exit poll predictions, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is confident of sweeping the Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand. 'Let the news channels speculate about the outcome of the elections.

May 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Re-polling in two booths in south Delhi's Chhattarpur area saw 65.42 percent voter turnout Sunday. The re-polling was ordered in the two booths after they recorded 98.5 percent turnout Thursday, the Election Commission said.

May 9th, 2009 RANCHI - Students in Jharkhand performed poorly in the 2009 secondary school examination with only a 77.82 percent pass rate, compared to 86.99 in 2008, according to the results announced Saturday. A total of 355,393 students appeared in the examination of which 276,588 cleared it.

April 28th, 2009 RANCHI - At least 50 percent voters cast their ballot Tuesday in 116 booths where re-polling was ordered following defective or damaged electronic voting machines during the first and second phases of the Lok Sabha elections. The voting ended peacefully at the polling booths spread in all the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of the Leftist insurgency-hit state.

April 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission Monday ordered re-poll in 22 polling stations in Orissa's Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency. The dates for the re-poll will be announced later, Deputy Election Commissioner J.P.

April 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission Thursday ordered re-poll in 146 voting stations in Bihar and 58 in Jharkhand where ballotting was held in the first phase April 16. The date for the re-polling in Bihar would be announced later, Deputy Election Commissioner R.

April 17th, 2009 RANCHI - A Border Security Force (BSF) trooper accompanying election officials was killed and three were injured when Maoist rebels triggered a landmine blast in Jharkhand Friday, police said. 'The landmine blast took place near Oriya village of Latehar district when security personnel were returning with EVMs (electronic voting machines) after polls,' Jharkhand poice spokesperson S.N.

April 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission of India on Thursday expressed satisfaction on the first phase of polls held in 15 States and two Union Territories by describing it "more or less peaceful". In the first phase, 58 to 62 per cent of 143 million voters exercised their right to vote.

April 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The first phase of the 2009 Lok Sabha elections recorded 58-62 percent voter turnout but was marred by large-scale Maoist violence that claimed the lives of 19 people, including 10 police personnel, the Election Commission said Thursday. Giving preliminary statistics compiled from 15 states and two union territories where over 143 million people were eligible to vote in the first round, a poll panel official said that the voting percentage ranged from a low 46 percent in Bihar to a high 86 in Lakshadweep island.

April 14th, 2009 RANCHI - Security personnel will carry out continuous aerial monitoring of all voting booths in the six Lok Sabha constituencies of Jharkhand that will go to the polls Thursday since these areas are considered Maoist strongholds, officials said here Tuesday. 'The first phase of elections will be conducted under air surveillance.

April 8th, 2009 RANCHI - Through posters and banners put up at several places, the Election Commission has launched an awareness programme in Jharkhand, urging voters to go out and exercise their right to vote. 'Wake up voter, Wake up.

March 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A two-member team of the Election Commission (EC) headed by Naveen Chawla will visit Jharkhand and Chattisgarh today to review the poll preparedness for the coming Lok Sabha polls. Chawla, who would be accompanied by Deputy Election Commissioner J P Prakash, would meet representatives of all recognised political parties at the office of the CEO soon after his arrival in Raipur on Friday evening.

January 8th, 2009 RANCHI - In a sudden development, a Jharkhand legislator Friday quit the assembly to offer Shibu Soren a second chance to fight a by-poll and retain his chief ministership, which he was set to lose after his defeat from Tamara. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Soren may now test his might from Jamtara, as Vishnu Bhaiya - the legislator from the constituency - has resigned from the assembly.