The Indian Air Force conducted 404 sorties with eight MI-17 choppers for six days, ferrying polling parties along with voting machines in Naxal-affected Bastar division during the recently held first phase of Chhattisgarh polls, a senior election official said on Friday.
Twelve constituencies of Bastar division were among 20 assembly segments in Chhattisgarh that went to the polls in the first phase on November 7. A high voter turnout of 78 per cent was recorded in these 20 seats.
The Chhattisgarh Chief Electoral Officer wrote on X on Friday, “Defying all challenges, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted 404 sorties with Eight MI 17s, securely ferrying 853 polling team members to and from 43 locations, enabling a successful electoral process in a tough LWE-affected region. Salute to the India Air Force.” More than 860 polling party members were sent through MI-17 helicopters to 156 polling stations in five districts of Bastar division – Sukma, Bijapur, Kanker, Dantewada and Narayanpur – from November 4 to 6 for voting on November 7, Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P told PTI.
