"Around 4-5 pm, we should be able to complete counting process": Ranchi electoral officer on Jharkhand result day

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], November 23 (ANI): Ahead of the beginning of counting for votes for Jharkhand Assembly elections, district electoral officer, Ranchi, Varun Ranjan said on Saturday that all preparations have been made and firstly, postal ballots will be counted and from 8:30 onwards, EVM votes.
Speaking to the media, DEO Ranjan said, "All preparations have been made and all counting personnel have reached here. From 8 am, postal ballots will be counted, and from 8.30 am onwards EVM votes will be counted. Around 4 pm-5 pm, we should be able to complete the counting process."
Meanwhile, the counting is expected got underway at 8 am today for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand polls along with the results of by-polls of several states.
In Jharkhand, the first phase of polling was conducted in 43 of the 81 assembly seats on November 13. The second phase was conducted on November 20 on the remaining seats.
Among the constituents of the INDIA bloc, JMM is contesting 43 seats, Congress 30, RJD six, and CPI(ML) four. The BJP is contesting 68 seats, AJSU 10, JD(U) two, and LJP one seat.
In the previous assembly election, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha won 30 seats, the BJP 25, and Congress 16 seats.
Along with this, the results of by-polls of 48 assembly and two Lok Sabha seats across 15 states will also be declared today.
The bypolls were also fiercely contested across various states, including Uttar Pradesh, where nine assembly seats saw polling on Wednesday. In Wayanad, Kerala, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra made her electoral debut. The bypolls were conducted in two phases.
Earlier today, BJP candidate and former Jharkhand Chief Minister, Champai Soren said on Saturday that there is no doubt that the BJP is going to win and it will be clear in the next few hours.
Speaking to ANI, Soren said, "BJP is going to win, there is no doubt. BJP-NDA is going to form the government...People have voted in favour of the BJP."
"The biggest issue in Jharkhand has been the Bangladeshi infiltrators...The population of Bangladeshi infiltrators is increasing rapidly. In this election, BJP is going to form the government, it will be clear in the next 1-1.5 hours," the BJP leader added.
Champai Soren quit his long-term relations with Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and joined the BJP. He is contesting from the Saraikela assembly seat. (ANI)