The Election Commission has finally granted permission for shifting 169 sensitive polling booths spread in seven districts of Bastar division, which is going to polls on November 11, to safer places. Due to which about 70 thousand electorates will now have to travel from 5 km to 58 km for reaching the election centres to cast their votes.
The state administration had sent a proposal to shift 281 polling booths located in unapproachable areas to safer places. In Bastar division out of 2629 polling booths 1204 polling booths have been identified as hypersensitive whereas 841 polling booths are sensitive.
Notably, a proposal to shift 281 polling booths considered as hypersensitive from the Maoist insurgency point of view and difficulty in reaching them, the Election Commission, with due consent of political parties, allowed to shift only 169 booths including five booths of Kondagaon district, seven in Bastar, 16 in Kanker district, 16 of Narayanpur district, 42 of Sukma district and 59 of Bijapur district.
Most of the sixteen polling booths allowed to be shifted in Narayanpur Assembly constituency are located in Abujhmar area and to reach the booths located at Jharavahi, Pangedh, Aadhar, Chhindnar, Paleber, Amokal, Ekameta, Badekot the electorate will have to travel 25 to 58 km.
likewise in Sukma district where 42 polling booths have been shifted to newer places, the electorate would have to walk from 10 to 13 km distance on foot. For Singler polling booth and Begpalli booth they will have to walk 12 km whereas to reach Nilampalli they would have to travel 13 km. These three places are located in Jagargunda areas which is considered as hotbed of insurgency.
Maximum 59 polling booth have been allowed to shift in Bijapur district. To reach these polling booths electorate will have to walk from seven to 16 km. While the voter will have to walk 13 km to reach Etakpalli polling booth, they will have to walk seven kilometre and 10 km to reach Bodampalli and Jaiguda polling booths respectively.
To reach Magarnar, where 4 booths have been set up, the electorate would have to walk 16 km distance. Besides, 65 to 70 thousand electorates would have to cross thick forests and rugged terrain to reach the polling booths shifted to safer places.