TURA, JUNE 27: Seventy-five percent voters turned out to cast their votes on Saturday’s bye-elections in Chokpot constituency in South Garo hills district. The bye-election has been necessitated after its sitting Garo National Council (GNC) legislator Clifford Marak expired.
Four candidates Bluebell Sangma of Congress, Philipole Marak of National Peoples Party (NPP), Garo National Council (GNC) Kalpana Marak, wife of late Clifford Marak and Thinkerman Marak an Independent candidate are vying with for the vacant MLA seat in the constituency.
South Garo hills returning officer and deputy commissioner N Marak said, “The voting was peaceful and the turnout was overwhelming. We have not received any disturbing report.”
The voters turn out in 2013 assembly election was 87.65 per cent.
“Report from remote polling stations are yet to come in, we expect the turn out will be between 80 – 85 per cent”, Marak added.
Of the 46 polling stations, 44 were categorized as hypersensitive and sensitive on account of militancy. Eight companies of central paramilitary personnel were deployed to ensure smooth polling.
A total of 24,219 electorates were eligible for voting.
The result of the Chokpot bye-poll will only be of academic interest as it is not going to change the power equation in the Meghalaya state legislative assembly.
The only interesting aspect everyone is waiting to see is if late Clifford Marak’s widow is going to ride on sympathy wave and win or the Congress candidate who is chanting developmental mantra will be voted for a change.- From Our Correspondent
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