Lok Sabha Elections 2024 :For the first time before , the Election Commission of India joined hands with the Indian Air Force and various local authorities in a mammoth logistical operation in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. This included airlifting 188 security personnel to Marwah and Warwan, which has difficult and remote terrain. It has been considered a very important operation in the conduct of elections, safely and with dignity, in these snow-bound areas falling under the Udhampur parliamentary constituency.
The group airlifted was a contingent of 144 members from the Central Armed Police Forces and 44 officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The deployment aimed to secure 31 polling booths in the two areas, which included 19 in Marwah and 12 in Warwan. In the operation, there were 16 sorties conducted by three Indian Air Force helicopters in a formidable effort to win the geography and climatic challenges of high-altitude regions up to 12,500 feet above sea level.
The greater challenge would be logistical, as both Marwah and Warwan face very heavy snowfall, which disrupts road connectivity. “The two areas are accessible by passes at Sinthan and Margamtop,” the election authorities further told.
Dr. Devansh Yadav, DEO Kishtwar, said that sufficient and meticulous planning has been done for the safety and security of the polling parties. Part of this tightened security is the setting up of five intermediate strongrooms for the safekeeping of the ballot boxes in order to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
Additionally, special arrangements have been made by P.K. They prayed for all concerned authorities, especially Mr. Pole, who is the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu, and Kashmir, for safe transport of the Polling Parties, Election Logistics, and Materials up to the Polling Booths.
These plans include the airlifting of 31 more polling party members, together with reserves, to the remote polling stations, reiterating the pledge to ensure no voter is left out. The action itself speaks volumes about efforts by Indian electoral authorities towards holding free and fair elections, even under trying conditions that bar no eligible voter from voting for the democratic country’s democratic process.
