Ranchi, Oct 16 (IANS): The Jharkhand Police have requested deployment of 590 paramilitary personnel to ensure security during the upcoming Assembly elections to be held in the month of November.

During the recent Lok Sabha elections, 230 paramilitary personnel were deployed across three phases of voting in the state.

The Assembly elections, covering 81 seats, will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20, with results to be announced on November 23. The Election Commission of India has called for stringent security measures to ensure a fair and fear-free election process.

Phase 1 of the voting will cover 43 seats, while 38 seats will go to polls in the second phase of November 20. The total number of voters is 2.6 crore, with 29,562 polling stations, of which 5,042 are in urban areas. On average, there are 881 voters per booth.

Ahead of the elections, 100 paramilitary troopers, comprising CRPF, CISF, BSF, SSB, and ITBP personnel, have already been deployed in all 24 districts on the Commission's orders. Currently, 3 to 5 companies are stationed in each district, carrying out activities such as flag marches, area control, and security checks to instill confidence among the public. CCTV cameras and checkpoints will also be installed at inter-district and inter-state borders.

Updates and reports with regard to the seizure of materials and any election-related incidents will be shared with the Election Office daily through the ESMS portal, officials said.

The police face particular challenges arising from Maoist activities in certain regions. However, their influence has waned in recent years due to continuous security operations.

In 2019, a total of 16 of Jharkhand's 24 districts were considered Maoist-affected. By April 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs reported only five districts -- West Singhbhum, Giridih, Gumla, Lohardaga, and Latehar -- as Maoist-affected, with West Singhbhum classified as the most-severely impacted.