Jharkhand polls: AJSU chief Sudesh Mahto leading by 506 votes

Former Deputy Chief Minister and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) President Sudesh Kumar Mahto is leading by 506 votes over Seema Devi of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in Silli constituency in the Jharkhand Assembly polls on Monday.

Incumbent Seema Devi had won Silli seat in 2018 after her husband and then sitting legislator Amit Mahto faced disqualification from the Jharkhand Assembly in the light of his conviction in a criminal case by a Ranchi court.

The 40-year-old MLA was awarded two years' imprisonment in the case. Amit was held guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code in a 12-year-old case pertaining to the assault of former Sonahatu circle officer Alok Kumar.

Sudesh Mahto had lost the seat to Amit in 2014 Assembly polls and the subsequent bypoll to JMM candidates Amit Mahto and his wife Seema Devi Mahto, respectively. Sudesh Mahto was holding the fort from 2000 but lost to Amit Mahto in 2014 Assembly polls by 29,740 votes.

Both BJP and Congress have not fielded any candidate on the seat.

The BJP has not fielded any candidate in Silli as AJSU is their alliance partner. But this time, both the parties are fighting on their own due to differences. Congress too has not fielded any candidate from the constituency as they have alliance with JMM.

A total of 15 candidates, including four independents, contested elections from the seat.

In this election, there are a total of 2,05,648 eligible voters, of which 1,04,271 were male, 1,01,375 female and two voters of the third gender.

Silli is part of Ranchi Lok Sabha constituency.

In 2019 election, the voter turnout is 76.98 per cent. In 2014, this seat registered a turnout of 77.66 per cent, while it was 69.8 per cent in 2009. The seat went to the polls on December 12 in phase 3 of the election.

There are a total of 278 polling stations in Silli constituency while in the 2014 election there were 247.ians