RAIPUR: Amidst boycott call by the rebels, 18 Assembly constituencies of 90 is going for the first phase of polls in Naxal-affected Chhattisgarh on Monday.
The conduct of free, fair and peaceful polling in these areas continue to be a big challenge for the Election Commission (EC) since out of the 18 seats, the Maoists have substantial presence in 13 segments where the polling time is scheduled from 7 am to 3 pm to enable the election staff to accomplish their work and return before sunset.
In the remaining seats of Rajnandgaon, Khujji, Khairagarh, Dongargaon and Dongargarh the voters can cast their votes from 8 am to 5 pm. Interestingly there are more number of women voters (51percent) than men in the first phase.
The troopers have increased their movement with enhanced search operations besides the de-mining activities as the forces forage through and comb across the forested, difficult and hilly terrain. The forces have traced out over 300 improvised explosive devices and destroyed during the last couple of weeks.
To instil confidence in the wake of threat perception among the people, the forces had routinely registered their presence in and the remotely located inhabited localities of the Maoist affected areas. Over half-a-dozen choppers and even the drone cameras would be pressed into services during the polling in the hyper-sensitive areas.
Around 900 polling staff would be ferried through choppers. The poll staff left with the electronic voting machines and related materials amid tight security to distantly located and sensitive polling stations. An Air ambulance has also been asked to remain stationed at Raipur for an emergency.
For the first time, during the election the BJP, Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party and Jogi's Janta Congress Chhattisgarh have raked-up the issue of Maoists targeting each other during the high-octane election campaign that ended on Saturday.
Around 20.4 lakh voters will decide the fate of the candidates contesting on 12 seats in the conflict-ridden Bastar zone and in Rajnandgaon district over 11 lakh electorates will exercise their franchise across the six seats. As many 190 candidates are in the fray for the first phase of Chhattisgarh polls. During the last 15-odd days there had been half-a-dozen naxal violence reported in different districts of Bastar.
However, with extensive security arrangements been put in place across the naxal-affected regions, the EC and the state hope that despite the poll boycott call given by the outlawed Maoist the voters turnout will appreciably remain high.
Bastar zone