May 13th 2024.
Chaibasa: On Monday, security forces successfully foiled an attempt by Maoists to disrupt the voting process in Sonapi and Morangponga, remote areas of West Singhbhum district. The Maoists had cut down a tree and blocked a road leading to the polling booths, but the officials were able to ensure that the voters were able to cast their ballots without any hindrance.
According to the Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Kuldeep Chaudhary, the Maoists were trying to prevent voters from reaching booth numbers 24 and 25 in the Chotanagar police station area. These two booths are home to 1,522 voters and had a turnout of 50.94% and 15.43% respectively by 10:30 am.
The Election Commission had taken special measures for the Maoist-hit Singhbhum region, including dispatching polling parties by trains and helicopters. Many of the areas in this region were experiencing polling for the first time or after several decades.
Till 11 am, the polling for the Singhbhum ST seat, which is also home to Asia's densest Sal forest and one of the worst-hit Maoist zones in the country, saw a turnout of 26.16%. The officials reported that 126 polling stations in Singhbhum had polling parties and materials air-dropped, while 100 more were dispatched via a special train from Chakradharpur to Rourkela. From there, they traveled by vehicles and foot to reach their assigned polling stations.
Chaudhary emphasized the authorities' commitment to conducting free and fair polls, with the use of GPS-enabled vehicles to track EVMs and polling parties. He also assured that adequate security arrangements had been made, with the arrival of central forces such as BSF and CAPF at Chakradharpur.
The Election Commission shared pictures and updates on social media, showcasing the dispatching of polling parties and materials through the train. They also expressed their readiness for the polls in West Singhbhum district and their efforts to ensure that no voter is left out.
According to the DC, some polling stations, such as Middle School, Nugdi, and Madhya Vidyalaya, Borero, will witness voting for the first time in this election. He also mentioned that in certain regions, polling parties had to trek for 4-5 km, but their objective was to ensure comprehensive coverage and leave no area untouched.
Thalkobad and around two dozen other villages, which were previously declared as "liberated zones," have now been successfully established as the administration's presence through the joint operations of security forces, including Operation Anaconda. In addition, 15 new camps of security forces have been set up in the region.
The Singhbhum Lok Sabha constituency, reserved for Scheduled Tribes, has a total of 14.32 lakh voters, of which 7.27 lakh are women. The incumbent MP, Geeta Kora, who is the spouse of former chief minister Madhu Koda, has been nominated by the BJP, while MLA Joba Manjhi represents the INDIA bloc. Kora, who was previously the sole Congress MP from Jharkhand, recently joined the BJP.
The Singhbhum Lok Sabha constituency comprises of six assembly constituencies, namely Seraikela, Chaibasa, Majhganon, Jagnathpur, Manoharpur, and Chakradharpur. Except for Seraikela, which is located in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district, all the other segments fall within West Singhbhum district.
The Lok Sabha polls in Jharkhand will take place in four phases on May 13, 20, 25, and June 1. In the 2019 general elections, the BJP won 11 seats, with its ally AJSU securing one. The JMM and Congress also won one seat each.
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