Counting of votes for the Jharkhand urban local body elections 2026 began at 8 am on 27 February 2026 and is underway across the state. Polling was held on 23 February 2026 in 48 urban local bodies, where 61.84 percent voter turnout was recorded.
A total of 1,309 tables have been set up for counting. The elections covered nine municipal corporations, 19 municipal councils and 20 nagar panchayats.
Voter Turnout Across Districts
The state recorded an overall voter turnout of 61.84 percent. Ranchi reported the lowest turnout at approximately 43 percent, while Saraikela recorded more than 75 percent polling.
Counting of Ward Councillors
Counting for ward councillor posts commenced first. According to the State Election Commission, security arrangements have been tightened. Police personnel and administrative officials have been deployed at every counting centre. The Commission has stated that special attention is being given to ensure that the counting process is conducted in a transparent and peaceful manner.
Initial trends are expected to begin emerging around 10 am. Results from smaller urban bodies such as Hazaribagh, Godda and Pakur may be declared first, while results from larger municipal corporations are expected by late evening.
Declaration of Mayor and Chairperson Results
Results for ward councillors will be declared today, while the results for the posts of Mayor and Chairperson will be announced tomorrow. A total of 562 candidates are contesting for the posts of Mayor and Chairperson, while 5,562 candidates are in the fray for ward councillor positions. In total, approximately 6,118 candidates are contesting in the elections.
The counting process may continue until late at night. Most results are expected to become clear by 8 pm, although final official confirmation will be issued by the Election Commission.
Voting Conducted Through Ballot Papers
The Jharkhand urban local body elections were conducted entirely through ballot papers. The State Election Commission cited a shortage of Electronic Voting Machines and other technical reasons for the decision to conduct the elections through ballot papers. Electronic Voting Machines had been used in several elections since 2013.
Ballot papers have been used again after nearly 18 years. Prior to this, ballot papers were used in the 2000s.
Some political parties had demanded that the elections be conducted through Electronic Voting Machines and had raised questions regarding the use of ballot papers. Despite this, the Commission proceeded with ballot papers. The counting process may take additional time as ballot paper counting requires greater caution and procedural steps.
Mayoral Contests in Key Cities
Mayoral elections are being held in major municipal corporations including Ranchi, Dhanbad, Mango and Adityapur in Jamshedpur, Hazaribagh, Deoghar, Giridih, Chas Bokaro and Medininagar Palamu.
