Bhubaneswar,May 12: Special security arrangements have been made in polling booths located in left-wing extremist (LWE)-affected areas of Odisha going to polls on May 13.
To ensure free and fair elections in these areas, special operational arrangements have been launched.
Elections will be held in 7,298 polling stations, of which 537 booths are located in the LWE-affected areas.
The district administration has set up a dispersal center at the Government Polytechnic College on Malkangiri-Sukma road.
547 polling booths have been established, including 30 Sakhi booths for women and one each in Malkangiri and Chitrakonda Assembly constituencies for the physically challenged voters.
The Odisha Police and security forces have intensified their operations in the Maoist-hit areas.
539 anti-Maoist operations have been conducted in these districts since January.
138 operational parties of CAPF (Central Armed Police Forces) and 37 units of SOG/DVF (state armed police force) are actively involved in maintaining security.
Security force units are conducting operations and area-dominating exercises in the Maoist-affected regions.
As the election in Chhattisgarh has already been completed, there is a possibility that some Maoists may infiltrate into Odisha from the neighboring state.
Chhattisgarh is also launching operations in five locations, while Andhra Pradesh is launching nine such operations in the bordering areas.
The efforts by the police and security forces aim to encourage people in these areas to vote without fear or favor, ensuring a peaceful electoral process. The increased security measures from dispersal centers to booth levels, along with road and culvert de-mining, demonstrate the commitment to maintaining law and order during the elections
