Commuters in the city are set to face harrowing time as buses are going off road for poll duty. Hundreds of buses plying within the district and inter-State have been seized for ferrying polling parties and security personnel, reducing availability of public transport.

Several commercial vehicles, including passenger buses and pick-up vans, were detained by poll officials and were made to park at the Jamshedpur Co-operative College - converted to a strong room for the Assembly elections.

The State Government, under Representation of the People Act, 1951, is vested with power to requisition premises and vehicles for election purposes. The first phase of the five-phase Assembly election in Jharkhand commences from November 30, while the second phase election is scheduled on December 7 and the third phase of the assembly polls is scheduled on December 12.

The first phase will see elections in 13 seats prominent being Chatra, Gumla, Garhwa, Lohardaga and Daltonganj, the second phase will see elections in 20 seats prominent being Ghatshila, Jugsalai, Jamshedpur East, Jamshedpur West, Chaibasa, Chakradharpur, Khunti and Simdega. The third phase will see polls in 17 seats, prominent amongst them being Koderma, Barhi, Barkagaon, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Hatia, Khijri and Kanke seats.

“Yes, we have started the drive. We will be requiring over 1250 commercial vehicles for poll related duties. We have already sent requisitions to vehicles owners for submitting their vehicles and seizure of vehicles have already begun.

We will be releasing the vehicles on night of December 12. This apart the police department will be seizing vehicles for their own needs,” said an official of transport department.

Jamshedpur DTO, Dinesh Kumar Ranjan informed that the seized vehicles will be kept at the Jamshedpur Cooperative College ground between December 2 and December 8.

“We need over 850 commercial vehicles for poll related duties in the six assembly constituencies falling under East Singhbhum district.

The police will be seizing vehicles, nearly 100 more, on their own, and all vehicles will be released on December 8 morning,” said Ranjan. The bus owners, who were earlier not keen to give their vehicles to the district administration on poll duty owing to outstanding dues of previous services, have agreed to provide their vehicles on deputy commissioner (DC) Ravi Shankar Shukla assurance. Shukla is also a district election officer.

Jharkhand Truck Owners Association has however, criticised forcible seizer of vehicles for the ensuing elections by the district administration. An official of the association, said that in the city over 50 trucks have been forcibly seized by the district administration.

The news of seizer is also coming from several other parts of the State. 

Moreover, several vehicle owners are still waiting for the clearance of dues pending since Lok Sabha elections. The administration should first clear the dues if they want to take the services of truck owners he added.