Nearly 100 booths shifted due to security reasons

RANCHI: Around 40,000 police personnel, including 175 companies of para-military forces, will be deployed to maintain law and order during the next phase of parliamentary polls in the state. Four constituencies - Giridih, Dhanbad, Jamshedpur and Singhbhum - would go to the polls on May 12.
There are several places like Jhumra hills in Bokaro district, Parasnath hills in Giridih and Saranda forest in Chaibasa district that are affected by Left-wing extremism (LWE).
The chief electoral officer (CEO) of Jharkhand, L Khiangte, said an air ambulance would be on stand-by for three days from Saturday to transport polling staff in case of any emergency.
Three choppers would be used for transporting polling staff and also to carry out air surveillance in Maoist strongholds during the polls.
Polling officials said that out of 8,300 booths going to polls on May 12, 1,762 booths have been categorized as hyper-sensitive, 3,908 as sensitive and three as critical. "The hyper-sensitive booths are mostly located in LWE-hit areas," additional CEO Vinay Chaubey said.
The officials added that 97 booths, including 93 in Chaibasa, three in Jamshedpur and one in Saraikela-Kharsawan district, have been relocated due to security reasons.
There are 66.85 lakh voters in the four constituencies. The Election Commission will use 9,973 control units, 15,282 ballot units and 10,802 VVPATs in the penultimate phase of LS elections in the state.