Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission would ask the Centre to provide more paramilitary personnel for smooth conduct of the panchayat elections in the Maoist affected districts and if necessary helicopters would be pressed into service for ferrying the personnel engaged to conduct polls in remote parts of the state.

The state election commissioner, Ajit Tripathy told media persons after a crucial meeting of district magistrates and superintendents of police that the in the recent past Maoist activities have gone up considerably in Bargarh, Bolangir and Nuapada districts. The collectors and SPs of the naxal affected districts have submitted reports about most sensitive and sensitive areas in their respective districts and the election commission. If needed the ballot baoxes would be kept in police camps, Ajit Tripathy informed.

The five phase panchayat polls would commence from February 11 and end on February 19. Over 2.44 lakh voters would cast their ballots in 87,528 boths spread across the state.

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