The Centre will deploy about 25,000 para-military personnel for the five-phase Jharkhand Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this month and in December.
"The Election Commission has drawn up a five-phase schedule for elections in Jharkhand. Over 300 companies (about 25,000 men) of para-military forces will be placed at the disposal of the Election Commission to ensure free and fair elections.
"Ministry of Home Affairs would like to assure all voters in Jharkhand that they should have no concerns about their security and they will be able to exercise their franchise freely and fearlessly," a Home Ministry spokesperson said.
Drawing people's attention to the threat given by the Maoists to deter people from exercising their rights to vote, the Ministry asked the people to cast their ballots without fear.
The Ministry urged voters to ponder over the implications of the "statements and threats" issued by Maoists.
"The Maoists are opposed to parliamentary democracy. They regard elections as an attempt by "reactionary rulers ... to refurbish the image of the rotten parliamentary system," the official said.
Citing the turnout during the Parliamentary elections held in May this year in the naxal-hit state, he said "over 57 per cent of the electorate in Jharkhand voted in the Lok Sabha polls, giving a strong rebuff to the Maoists."
