Jharkhand enhances security ahead of elections

Ranchi, Nov 24 : Four Indian Air Force helicopters have been pressed into service to ensure peaceful polling in Wednesday's first phase of Jharkhand's assembly elections, police said.

Strict security arrangements have been made because of a Maoist threat during polling to the 81-member assembly.

"Adequate security arrangements have been made for peaceful polling on Wednesday. We are taking services of four helicopters of the air force for surveillance and for peaceful polling," Jharkhand police spokesperson V.H. Deshmukh told IANS. Besides the air force, two BSF helicopters have also been hired.

According to police, one air force helicopter will be stationed in Jamshedpur, another in Dumka and two in Ranchi. They will be used to transport security forces and poll personnel, and be available for emergencies.

According to police, around 40,000 security personnel will be pressed into service Wednesday.

Government doctors across the state have been asked to cancel leave, senior bureaucrats said. Government-run and private hospitals have been asked to keep beds ready in case of an emergency. Around 60 ambulances have been pressed into services in polling areas. Blood banks have been alerted.

In the first phase, there are 470 candidates in the poll fray. They include four former ministers, six former Lok Sabha MPs and the last assembly's speaker Aalamgir Aalam.

In the first phase, polling will take place in 26 assembly constituencies, in the second phase 15 constituencies will go to polls and in the third phase, voting will take place for 11 seats. In the fourth and fifth phases, polling will take place for 14 and 15 assembly seats, respectively.