The assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand on Wednesday witnessed varying voter participation, with Maharashtra recording a voter turnout of 45.53% by 3 PM, while Jharkhand saw a higher turnout of 61.47% during the second phase of its polls, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Maharashtra’s voter turnout, initially sluggish, picked up momentum as the day progressed. The Gadchiroli district reported the highest turnout in the state at 62.99%, while Thane recorded the lowest at 38.94%. Mumbai city reported a turnout of 39.34%, while Pune, Nashik, and Aurangabad registered participation rates between 40% and 50%. Ratnagiri witnessed a notable 50.04% turnout, and Nanded recorded a turnout of 41.58% by mid-afternoon.

In Jharkhand, where the second phase of polling covered 38 seats, voter enthusiasm remained high. Pakur district led with a turnout of 69.31%, followed by strong participation in Dumka, Deoghar, and Ranchi, with rates ranging from 60% to 68%. Dhanbad reported the lowest turnout at 56.32%.

In addition to the state elections, by-polls were being held across several other constituencies in the country. Punjab’s Gidderbaha constituency reported a strong turnout of 65.80%, while Barnala lagged at 40%. In Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad saw the lowest voter engagement at 27.44%, while Kundarki recorded 50.03%. By-elections in Uttarakhand and Kerala also saw moderate turnout, with Kedarnath reporting 47% and Palakkad 54.11%.

Voting began at 7 am for Maharashtra’s 288 single-phase assembly seats and the second phase of elections in Jharkhand. Results for all seats in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and the by-polls will be announced on November 23.

(Inputs from ANI)