Seraikela-Kharsawan to vote for three LS seats

Residents of Seraikela-Kharsawan district will vote for three Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming general elections.

Carved out in 2001, the district has no Lok Sabha constituency. Its three assembly constituencies Seraikela, Ichagarh and Kharswan are tagged with Singhbhum, Ranchi and Khunti parliamentary constituencies, respectively.

Hence, around 6.72 lakh voters will exercise their franchise to select the MPs of Singhbhum, Ranchi and Khunti Lok Sabha seats on April 17.

Seraikela-Kharswan deputy commissioner Hansraj Singh said, “I will perform the election-related duties in the three assembly segments as the district election officer. But I am not the returning officer (RO) as these assembly segments under our administrative jurisdiction are tagged with Singhbhum, Ranchi and Khunti Lok Sabha seats.”

The RO for the Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat is West Singhbhum deputy commissioner AB Siddique, while Ranchi deputy commissioner Vinay Kumar Choubey is the RO for Ranchi seat and Khunti DC Samson Soy for Khunti seat.

People in 64 booths under Gamharia block will vote for selecting the Singhbhum MP while people in 32 booths under the same block will vote to select the Khunti MP.

“Having its own MP would have benefited the Seraikela-Kharsawan district by way of regular interactions, easy availability and focus,” said Ichagarh MLA Arvind Singh, a voter for Singhbhum Lok Sabha seat.

“But then, we have a greater voice in Parliament through three MPs and the benefit of having all three at district-level meetings to take up our issues with the administration.” The district falls between East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum districts.

Even in West Singhbhum, while a part of the electorate under Khuntpani block will vote for the Khunti Lok Sabha seat, another part will vote for the Singhbhum seat.