Palamu administration has started its preliminary works for the upcoming lok Sabha election. Palamu lS seat is a reserved one for scheduled caste candidate. In all Garhwa has two Assembly constituencies along with Palamu’s four assembly constituencies.
DC Palamu Manoj Kumar who is the returning officer of the lok Sabha election said the administration has embarked upon its preliminary works. Kumar further informed that administration has set up various election bodies for smooth functioning of the polls. Nodal officers have been notifiedm he added. Asked about poll preparations much in advance of the date/schedule to be announced by the ECI, DC said, “Palamu is a difficult district where extremists always disturbed during election in the past and it is because of this preliminary works for the polls has been started in advance.”
The police officers are minutely studying the geo position and topography of polling booths located in extremist pockets here. Sources informed The Pioneer that polling booths will be relocated. There was a relocation of more than 24 booths in the 2009 General Election here in Palamu. Things have not bettered since then and hence relocation of either the same number of booths or more booths other than 2009 relocated ones are but inevitable.
The DC too did not rule it out saying relocations are to be done in the larger interest of the safety and security of the polling personnel and cops. Police sources said there are booths like in Metar, Goindee, etc which are highly vulnerable to extremism. Chopper may also be pressed into service for this election also like previous polls in Palamu said one official. Poll office sources said six polling teams were air dispatched to booths in Manatu and lifted back the same day of polling here.
A fleet of new 50 plus booths has been added to an over all number of more than 1,100 booths here in Palamu. The addition of new booths mean more poll personnel, more vehicles, more cops and more cluster centres where the EVMs are to be stored before bringing it down to the Strong Room here in Daltonganj. Names of personnel working in government offices, semi government offices like colleges, university, banks, insurance sector etc have been collected by the election office here much earlier.
The SP Palamu YS Ramesh is also busy taking notes on all conduct here in the past. The SP said he was taking note of booth’s vulnerability like rigging instances, prevention of weaker section voters from casting votes, violence, elements behind any hindrance in conduct of poll etc. The administration is now get and set but will go only when the Election Commission Of India announces its poll schedule.