The ensuing Assembly poll will be the first time that helicopter will be used to lift polling parties to seven polling booths under Jagdalpur constituency. In Chitrakote Assembly Constituency also polling parties will be taken to 12 booths by chopper only. But the biggest shocker for polling personnel is the fact that even after travelling by chopper, most of them would have to walk from 4 km to 15 km on foot to reach the destination.
For Kolawada, Chitalgur and Gudia polling booths, the helicopter will drop polling parties at Netanar and from there the polling parties would have to walk five kilometers, 8 km and 15 km respectively. likewise, the polling parties which will reach Koleng by helicopter would have to walk 4 km and 5 km respectively to reach Mundagarh and Chhindgur polling booths. In Chtrakote Assembly Constituency, Erpund, Kaknar and Binta have been made base points where polling parties will reach by helicopter.
But to reach Amlidhar from Erpund polling parties will have to walk 15 km while to reach Palam from Kaknar they would have to walk 10 km. Four polling parties from Erpund, three from Kaknar and five polling parties would be sent from Binta. According to the sources, to reach some polling booths there are even motorable roads but from security point of view the polling parties would be asked to march on foot instead of using vehicle.
According to district collector and Bastar election officer Ankit Anand, besides polling parties, candidate contesting the election or his/her agent wants to travel to the polling booths in the respective constituency by helicopter they would also be allowed to fly by the chopper.
Notably, with the announcement of polling schedule, preparations for conducting polls peacefully in Bastar have been intensified. Out of 716 polling booths in Bastar district, 184 are identified as politically sensitive. They include 73 booths of Bastar constituency, 77 of Jagdalpur constituency, 27 of Chitrakote constituency and seven of Narayanpur Assembly constituency.
During the last polls, these booths had registered up to 90 percent voting. Terming them as politically vulnerable, election commission has issued the directive to keep vigil on these areas. In Bastar Assembly Constituency 101 booths are most sensitive, 72 sensitive while 251 booths are normal.
However, in the district 247 polling booths are out of coverage of mobile network whereas at 126 booths there is no provision of electricity and would have to depend on generator. These powerless booths include 38 of Jagdalpur constituency, 47 of Chitrakote constituency and 11 polling booths of Narayanpur Assembly constituency. In the district there are total 5 lakh, 16 thousand 172 voters comprising 2,53,709 males and 2,62,463 females.