In the run up to the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will deploy 7,000+ buses to ferry security forces to the polling booths across the state.
UP, which accounts for the maximum 80 LS seats, would witness polling in 7 phases viz. April 19, 26, May 7, 13, 20, 25 and June 1.
UP inspector general of police (IGP), law and order, L R Kumar has written to the UPSRTC to provide 7,051 buses for ferrying security forces during the elections.
The letter specifies the requirement of 52-seater buses with 45 soldiers per bus seating arrangement. Additionally, 10 percent reserve of vehicles will be required to avoid a crisis during breakdowns.
The requirement of buses varies according to the different phases of polling in the state.
There are approximately 152.9 million voters in UP (January 23 data), including 81.4 million male voters, 71.5 million female voters etc. The number of first-time voters (18-19 age group) is more than 2 million.
Per Election Commission of India (ECI), there are 1,62,012 polling stations in UP, of which 38,959 and 123,053 are in urban and rural areas respectively.