Jamshedpur, Dec. 9: Apprehensive that their prospects of winning could be ?derailed? due to rebel activities, political parties of East Singhbhum have demanded that vulnerable polling stations be shifted to safer areas.

The East Singhbhum district administration today held an hour-long meeting with parties like BJP, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Congress and Janata Dal (United).

Local legislators, including Raghubar Das, Dulal Bhuiyan and Menka Sardar, also attended the meeting, which was chaired by deputy commissioner Sunil Kumar Burnwal. JMM legislator Dulal Bhuiyan said political parties have demanded shifting of over 40 polling stations for the convenience of the electorate. ?One of the main reasons we want the shift is the Naxalite problem plaguing the district,? he said.

District administration sources said some of the leaders told the authorities that in constituencies like Potka, Ghatshila and Baharagora, a large section of the electorate might not venture out to cast their votes for fear of the Naxalites.

At present, there are 1,197 polling stations in six Assembly segments of the district. Over 13 lakh voters would exercise their franchise in the Assembly poll. According to district officials, another reason for demanding the relocation of some of the polling stations was distance. ?Some of the leaders wanted the booths to be set up in areas which are not too far so that villagers do not have to travel much,? officials said.

Burnwal has directed the two SDOs of the district to find out whether it would be feasible to shift some of the polling stations as demanded by the political parties.

Burnwal assured the political leaders that the district administration would take all necessary steps to ensure free and fair polls.

However, district administration sources said shifting of the polling stations would not be an easy task for the administration since permission has to be taken from the Election Commission before taking any such decision.

In a joint effort to curb extremism, police in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Bihar and Jharkhand have decided to share vital information with each other.

Senior police officials of the states met at Varanasi on Wednesday to discuss rebel activities in the four states, especially in the border districts.

Palamau deputy inspector-general M.V. Rao and two superintendents of police, M.L. Meena of Palamau and N. Prasad of Gawrah, represented Jharkhand at the meeting.