Ranchi, Dec 11 (Inditop.com) Security has been enhanced for the fourth phase of Jharkhand assembly elections Saturday as all the 14 seats that go to the hustings are in areas where the Maoist wield considerable influence, police said Friday.
“We will provide security to both polling officials and people. Since the first phase, we are trying to provide security to both the voters and the polling officials,” V.H. Deshmukh, Jharkhand police spokesperson, told Inditop.
“Four helicopters have also been pressed into services for polling,” he said.
The seats that go poll Saturday are Bahragora, Ghatsila, Potka, Ichagarh, Majhgaon, Manoharpur, Torpa, Sisai, Chakradharpur, Gumla, Bishunpur, Simdega, Kolebira and Lohardaga.
There are 81 seats in the state assembly.
According to police, officials will be airlifted to polling stations situated in remote jungle areas.
Security personnel avoid roads in forested stretches as the Maoists plant landmines.
Of the 14 seats, 12 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST). The fate of 233 candidates will be decided by 2,462,850 voters.
The key candidates in the fourth phase are jailed former minister Enos Ekka fighting on Jharkhand Party (JP) ticket, Jharkhand Congress state president Pradeep Balmuchu and former deputy chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) nominee Sudhir Mahto.
The last phase polling will take place Dec 18. Counting of votes will take place Dec 23.
