Chhattisgarh polls: EC shifts 167 polling stations to 'safer' areas

Raipur: Locals as well as state government had made requests for shifting of polling stations from the interiors to safer places with local poll officials supporting them. “We have acceded to the demand for shifting polling stations to safer areas to ensure free and fair polls and ensure safety and security of voters and poll staff,” said a senior EC official. The Commission has asked the Chief Electoral officer in Chhattisgarh to shift the 167 polling booths situated in the interiors of the state to ensure safety of voters as well as poll officials.[caption id=“attachment_1214939” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Preparing for polls. AFP[/caption] All the booths are located in Naxal-infested districts of Bastar, Dantewada, Korba, Bijapur, all of which will go to polls in the first phase of election in Chhattisgarh on 11 November. Naxals have already threatened to disrupt polls and asked voters, especially in tribal areas not to exercise their franchise. The team of top poll officials including the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners were also informed about the issue during their visit to the state. Sources said senior EC officials are in Chhattisgarh today to work out modalities with local poll officials in shifting the polling stations to safer and more accessible areas. The state government had also sought the EC’s help in shifting polling stationg to more accessible areas to ensure more voter turnout in polls. Chhattisgarh goes to polls in two phases on 11 and 19 November for for the 90-member Assembly. In the first phase, only 18 assembly constituencies will go to polls and all such polling stations are in Naxal- affected districts of Bastar, Dantewara and others. In the second phase, voters in the remaining 72 consitituencies will exercise their franchise. Chhattisgarh has a total of 1.68 crore voters and a total of 22,418 polling stations have been set up in the state. PTI