The Election Commission would press 90 air sorties in Arunachal Pradesh for transporting men and materials to various remote and inaccessible polling stations in the state for the April 9 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
"The process of air sorties began today with the departure of four teams of polling officials including security personnel to remote Vijaynagar circle in Changlang district to manage four polling stations consisting of 2,900 electorates," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Chandra Bhusan Kumar told reporters at a press conference here this evening.
Vijaynagar, one of the remotest circles under Miao sub-division is located at a distance of 157 kilometres from the sub divisional headquarters.
"The circle which has no surface communication, is approachable only by foot which takes five to six days," Kumar disclosed and added that the teams comprising 39 person including security personnel equipped with polling materials and all logistics have been dispatched in advance keeping in view the weather condition.
He said the polling officials including the security personnel have casted their postal ballots yesterday.
He said, besides Pawan Hans choppers, the Indian Air Force would provide air sorties to the Commission.
"The IAF will provide one air ambulance on the polling day to manage medical emergencies.
Retrieval for any emergency will not be a problem for us as we have arranged adequate medical facilities and other logistics in all the remote and inaccessible polling booths," he disclosed.
"We have taken all precautionary measures for the polling teams including medical, rations, wireless and other logistics.
The teams from 664 remote and inaccessible polling booths will return back on April 11 next," he said.
Disclosing that all preparation for a free and fair elections are nearing completion, Kumar informed that 1,358 digital cameras have been installed to check unfair means during polling while, in 124 polling stations webcasting facility would be available.
Altogether 7,53,170 electorates including 3,77,272 female would exercise their franchise in 2,158 polling stations in the state.
A total number of 4316 EVMs would be used separately for Lok Sabha and assemble polls in each booths.
While eight polling stations are having less than 10 voters, 20 having less than 20 voters and 105 polling stations have less than 50 electors.
The C Sector polling station at Itanagar has the highest number of 1650 voters, while Malogaon polling station under Hayuliang in Anjaw district has only two voters.
