Raipur, Nov 29: Amid stepped up Naxal activities and their call for boycott of the December 01 assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, the Election Commission would be deploying choppers, night-vision devices and mine detectors in the Naxal-infested areas to ensure fearless elections. The Commission would take all possible assistance, including over a dozen helicopters and the central para-military forces to conduct a free and fair poll in the state since there is a presence of banned outfits MCC and PWG in nearly 40 per cent of the total geographical area of the state, state election office sources told reporters here.
In view of the Naxalites' boycott call, the borders of the state with adjoining Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh would be sealed before the polls to prevent influx of ultras, sources said.
Nearly 180 companies of para-military forces would be deployed in the state, including in the 65 sensitive areas of the tribal belt, sources added.
After Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh directed the Chief Secretary and the DGP of the state to personally visit the Naxalite-infested districts and make the security plan accordingly, it has been decided to use helicopters for carrying the polling parties to the interior hyper-sensitive areas and also to provide security to voters, they said.
Bureau Report