General Elections 2024: IAF at forefront in aid to civil power
lAF has been actively involved with the task of airlifting electronic voting machines and deploying Election Commission of India (ECI) personnel on election duties, as has been carried out during previous General/ Assembly elections.
In terms of supporting civic power, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has taken the lead. Significant flying has been done by light utility helicopters (Chetaks), medium lift helicopters (Mi-17 Variants), and the domestically produced Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv in the run-up to the General Elections of 2024. [Source: Ministry of Defence]
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The lAF has been actively involved with the task of airlifting electronic voting machines and deploying Election Commission of India (ECI) personnel on election duties, as has been carried out during previous General/ Assembly elections. [Source: Ministry of Defence]
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During General Elections 2024, the IAF played a pivotal role in extending the reach of ECI into remote corners of the country and to places where movement by road was a security concern. [Source: Ministry of Defence]
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The task was time bound as polling officers had to be positioned at each remote polling station two days prior to the election date and de-inducted on the day of polling. The IAF played a vital role in five of the seven phases of General Election 2024, flying over 1,000 hours in over 1,750 sorties. [Source: Ministry of Defence]
This herculean task was achieved through a close coordination with the ECI and Chief Election Commissioners (CECs) of various states through nodal officers in order to optimise utilisation of assets factoring security, weather, road connectivity, etc. Helicopter assets of the Indian Army (IA) and the BSF were also dovetailed into the overall plan towards smooth conduct of General Elections 2024. [Source: Ministry of Defence]
