Summary:
Only the fixed wing aircraft will be stationed at Patna airport,” sources said.According to sources, 163.2 companies were deployed in Bihar in the 2014 general election. They will be kept in standby mode at vantage points across the state for observers and other poll officials. “The requirement of CAPF is more this time as number of polling stations has increased manifold in the state. PATNA: The state government has sought at least 185 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), two choppers and a fixed wing aircraft from the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) for deployment during the Lok Sabha election.“While the two choppers will be used for multiple purposes, including surveillance and immediate movement of poll officials, the fixed wing aircraft will be used as air ambulance and stationed at the Patna airport to meet any medical emergency,” sources said.In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, three choppers and a fixed wing aircraft were deployed in the state.“The choppers of either Indian Air Force (IAF) or Border Security Force (BSF) will be used during election. While there were 6,568 urban and 53,239 rural polling stations in 2014, the number has jumped to 8,239 and 64,484, respectively, this year,” sources in state police headquarters said.According to data available on the website of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the number of voters has also increased from around 6.21 crore in 2014 to 7.06 crore now.It may be recalled that the state’s tryst with chopper began in 2005 assembly election when K J Rao, the then senior special observer of the ECI, extensively used a chopper to move from one place to another to curb election malpractices.Rao was later nicknamed ‘helicopter man’ and his extensive use of chopper for ensuring free and fair election in the state had created a sort of benchmark for election observers who realised how a chopper could be used strategically during elections..