The JMM-led INDIA bloc was leading in 46 of the 81 assembly seats in Jharkhand while the BJP-headed NDA was ahead in 29 as the counting of votes was underway on Saturday, according to trends available on the Election Commission's website.

The counting of votes began at 8 AM.

As per the trends in 73 of the 81 seats, the INDIA bloc was leading in 46, the NDA in 29 and an independent and JKLM in one each till 10.15 AM.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was leading by 2,812 votes in Barhait assembly seat after the first round of counting.

NDA ally AJSU Party supremo Sudesh Mahto was trailing by 3,998 votes over JMM's Amit Kumar in Silli after the second round of counting.

In Jaganathpur, former MP and BJP nominee Geeta Kora was trailing by 1,790 votes from Congress' Sonaram Sinku.

JMM's Ramsurya Munda in Khunti was leading by 1,448 votes over BJP's Neelkanth Singh Munda.

Former CM and BJP nominee Champai Soren was trailing by 2,986 votes in Seraikela as against the JMM's Ganesh Mahli.

Kumar Jaimangal Singh of the Congress in Bermo was leading by a margin of 3,610 votes over his nearest rival Ravindra Pandey of the BJP.

Congress minister Rameshwar Oraon was ahead by 1,841 votes over AJSU Party's Niru Shanti Bhagat after the second round of counting.

Congress nominee Naman Bixal Kongari in Kolebira was ahead of others.

In Simdega, BJP candidate Shradhanand Besra was leading.

BJP's Satyendra Nath Tiwari in Garhwa was ahead by 190 votes over his rival Mithilesh Kumar Tharkur of the JMM.

In Koderma, Subhash Yadav of the RJD was leading by 1,481 votes over BJP's Neera Yadav.

From Chatra, RJD's Rashmi Prakash was ahead by 988 votes.

The results will decide the electoral fate of a total of 1,211 candidates, including Chief Minister Hemant Soren who contested from Barhait, his wife Kalpana from Gandey, former CM and BJP state president Babulal Marandi from Dhanwar and ex-CM Champai Soren from Seraikela.

Other prominent candidates include Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahato of the JMM from Nala, Deepika Pandey Singh of Congress from Mahagama, Sita Soren (sister-in-law of CM Hemant Soren) from Jamtara, AJSU Party chief Sudesh Mahto from Silli.

Chief Electoral Officer K Ravi Kumar said the counting is underway amid tight security arrangements and is likely to be completed by 4 PM.

The lowest 13-round counting will pertain to the Torpa assembly segment while the counting for the Chatra seat will be held for the highest 24 rounds, he said.

This time, voter turnout reached a record 67.74 per cent, the highest since the formation of Jharkhand on November 15, 2000.

The assembly elections were held in two phases - November 13 and 20.

Forty-three seats went to polls in the first round and 38 in the second.

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