New Delhi: Security forces have freed a total area of almost 4,350 sq km in Chhattisgarh from Maoist control in the last two years, enabling the state government to take measures to encourage voter participation and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to set up 1,000 more polling booths for this year’s assembly elections, officials aware of the details said.

Security forces have also set up at least 22 new forward operating bases (FOBs) across the state in the last two years and efforts are underway to open more such camps ahead of the polls, the officials added.

Voting for the 90-member assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases, on November 7 and 17. The results will be announced on December 3.

According to a CRPF official, 22 areas across many districts, especially Sukma and Dantewada, were taken over by security forces from the Maoists between 2021 and 2022.

“This year, seven new FOBs or camps were opened in areas of Chhattisgarh, some of which were controlled by Maoists for almost two decades. The people in these areas did not come out to vote because of the Maoist threat. There were villages where not a single or few residents came out to vote,” the official said, seeking anonymity.

“But with the opening of the camps in the remote areas of the state, the security forces, police and state administration are hopeful of voter participation and engaging in confidence building measures among the people. In many villages, even polling booths have been set up,” the official added.

The setting up of FOBs are important as it establishes the presence of security forces in sensitive areas of the Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected state and helps resume normalcy in civilian activities.

According to the official quoted above, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in February had set up a camp in Bedre area, in Sukma district, which it took over from the Maoists after 17 years. Bedre, the official said, is significant because it is located in one of the densest areas of Sukma district.

Another area which was considered a bastion of the Maoists, Tondamarka, was also freed in February by the security forces and the state police.

According to state government officials, while 23,677 polling booths were set up across the state during the 2018 polls, 24,109 booths will be opened for voters this election season. Security forces, along with officials from the state administration, are visiting remote villages and urging residents to cast their vote, the officials said.

A second official said the Centre is planning to send additional security forces ahead of the polls.

“The additional security forces will secure the sensitive polling booths. Choppers will be used extensively for surveillance of the areas in the deep jungles. As the election campaign has started, additional central forces will be coming to the state. Senior officials from security forces will be visiting Chhattisgarh and also Telangana – where elections will be held on November 30 – as the state also has a LWE presence,” the second official said.

On April 26, 10 district reserve guard (DRG) personnel and a driver of Chhattisgarh police were killed in an IED explosion triggered by the Maoists. The deceased were returning in a vehicle after an anti-Maoist operation when the incident took place.

On Friday, Union home minister Amit Shah vowed to completely eliminate LWE extremism in the next two years.