RANCHI, Feb. 23 -- Jharkhand is set for a high-stakes polling day on Monday as over 4.343 million voters prepare to elect representatives across 48 urban local bodies. Ranchi and major hubs like Jamshedpur and Dhanbad are under a thick security blanket following a Sunday marked by intense political friction and last-minute logistical drills. According to information provided by the state election commission polling will start at 7 am and continue till 5 pm The election will be held in 9 municipal corporations, 20 municipal councils, and 19 Nagar Panchayats. There are 562 candidates for Mayoral or Chairperson posts and 5,562 for ward councillors. Unlike the previous time, traditional ballot papers are being used. There is no NOTA option in this election. The "silence period" was shattered by a fierce war of words between the BJP and the ruling JMM-coalition. Following a late-Saturday raid, an FIR was registered against LoP Babulal Marandi at Giridih Town Police Station for an alleged unauthorised assembly at Maa Kali Hotel. BJP state president Aditya Sahu slammed the move as a "blatant abuse of power," while JMM's Supriyo Bhattacharya defended the action, calling the gathering a "pre-planned meeting" to influence voters. Aditya Sahu also raised alarms regarding the safety of BJP-supported candidate Vijay Singh Gagrai in Chakradharpur, alleging administrative inaction against death threats from criminals. The Jharkhand State Election Commission (SEC) has finalised a massive deployment to prevent booth capturing and violence. There are 4,307 booths located at 2,134 buildings. Out of the total booths, 896 are hyper-sensitive and 2,445 are sensitive. Polling parties were dispatched Sunday morning to ensure all remote booths are ready. A complete ban on the sale of liquor is in effect across all poll-bound areas until the conclusion of voting. Over 2-hourly status updates will be sent from District Election Officers to the SEC to monitor irregularities. Voters can verify their booth details through the official Jharkhand SEC Voter Portal or local district websites like ranchi.nic.in. Counting is scheduled for February 27, 2026....