Bihar Police have sought 20 satellite phones from the union home ministry for use in Maoist-affected Lok Sabha constituencies to ensure peaceful polling, a police official said on Sunday.
"We have sought 20 satellite phones from the union home ministry, for using them in Maoist-affected districts in view of the Lok Sabha polls. A letter has been sent to the ministry in this connection," the official said.
"If we are provided with satellite phones, these will be given to police officials of the rank of superintendent of police and others to be used in emergency," he added.
According to police officials, till date Bihar Police have no satellite phone.
"So far Bihar Police had to be dependent on satellite phones of other states and the union home ministry during polls," another police official said.
However, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed in different places across the state have the facility to use the satellite phones at 26 locations.
"At present CRPF's battalions deployed in Bihar have 20 satellite phones," a CRPF official said.
The six Lok Sabha constituencies going to polls April 10 in Bihar are Maoists affected places. They are Aurangabad, Jehanabad, Karakat, Jamui, Gaya and Sasaram.
Prominent candidates are to contest from these constituencies. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is contesting from Sasaram as a sitting Congress MP, former Delhi Police chief and former Kerala governor Nikhil Kumar will contest from Aurangabad as a Congress candidate, and Bihar assembly Speaker Uday Narain Choudhary from Jamui on the Janata Dal (United) ticket.
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