 "Poll panel shifts 238 booths in Naxal-infested Bastar")
The election commission has decided to shift 238 polling booths in the Naxal-infested Bastar Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh to “safer” areas.
The booths had been shifted to ensure free and fair polling in the left insurgency-hit pockets where the rebels had called for boycotting 2014 general elections. The poll panel had taken several measures to conduct elections in the red zone successfully.
“In the last assembly election (in November 2013), 167 polling booths were shifted while for the Lok Sabha polls, 238 booths would be set up in a new location in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency (that comprises six districts),” state’s chief electoral officer Sunil Kujur said Monday afternoon. The polling time had also been amended in the constituency and it would be concluded by 4 pm, he added.
The process for conducting peaceful polling in Bastar started Monday. The constituency would go to the polls on April 10. Being the worst Naxal-infested constituency, Bastar would be the only constituency to go to the poll in the first phase. The polling in the remaining 10 Lok Sabha constituencies would be held in the second and third phases.
Kujur said the commission today started the air lifting of polling parties to the sensitive polling booths in Bastar. “In all, parties would be air lifted to 153 polling booths,” he said, adding that six choppers had been pressed into the service.
The commission had also arranged two air ambulances to evacuate and rescue the polling parties in case of Naxal ambush. The ambulances would be stationed at Jagdalpur—the divisional headquarters of Bastar and Raipur. The web cameras had also been installed in 58 sensitive booths so that the officials could see the live activities in the centre.
The booths had been shifted to ensure free and fair polling in the left insurgency-hit pockets where the rebels had called for boycotting 2014 general elections. The poll panel had taken several measures to conduct elections in the red zone successfully.
“In the last assembly election (in November 2013), 167 polling booths were shifted while for the Lok Sabha polls, 238 booths would be set up in a new location in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency (that comprises six districts),” state’s chief electoral officer Sunil Kujur said Monday afternoon. The polling time had also been amended in the constituency and it would be concluded by 4 pm, he added.
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In the Naxal-infested pockets, many locations are inaccessible; making polling party vulnerable for the red army to ambush. The shifting of booths ensure safe landing of polling party though the voters have to travel to a new place to exercise their franchise. The election officials said voters had to travel five to 10 kms to cast their votes in the shifted booths.
The process for conducting peaceful polling in Bastar started Monday. The constituency would go to the polls on April 10. Being the worst Naxal-infested constituency, Bastar would be the only constituency to go to the poll in the first phase. The polling in the remaining 10 Lok Sabha constituencies would be held in the second and third phases.
Kujur said the commission today started the air lifting of polling parties to the sensitive polling booths in Bastar. “In all, parties would be air lifted to 153 polling booths,” he said, adding that six choppers had been pressed into the service.
The commission had also arranged two air ambulances to evacuate and rescue the polling parties in case of Naxal ambush. The ambulances would be stationed at Jagdalpur—the divisional headquarters of Bastar and Raipur. The web cameras had also been installed in 58 sensitive booths so that the officials could see the live activities in the centre.