Security in Jharkhand ramped up ahead of December 12 polls

As Jharkhand's Hazaribagh seat prepares to go to polls in the third phase, elaborate security arrangements have been kept in place for polling parties to be dispatched from the district headquarters to the respective booths of five constituencies in the district.

Mayur Patel, Superintendent of Police, Hazaribagh told ANI, "All the five constituencies of Hazaribagh are going to poll on December 12. We have made elaborate security arrangements for the peaceful poll process. We are having 1700 booths throughout the district. The overall arrangement for the security has been beefed up."

"We have made all arrangements so that communal atmosphere does not get vitiated. We have talked with religious leaders and taken them into confidence. We are ensuring that the atmosphere remains calm," he added.

Speaking on tackling the Naxal menace in the state during the polls, Patel said, "We have Naxal problems in the bordering areas with Bihar and inter-district borders. We have our intelligence system through which we get regular updates. We have our special teams which will transport the EVMs."

Jharkhand, which has an 81-member Assembly, is undergoing polling in five phases.

The first phase of the election in the state took place on November 30 while the second round was held on December 7.

The voting for the third phase will be conducted on December 12, the fourth phase on December 16, and the fifth and last phase on December 20.

The counting of votes will take place on December 23.