SHILLONG, JULY 24: The United Democratic Party (UDP) today said there is no justification to hold the bye-elections to the two seats – Ranikor and South-Tura – on separate polling dates.
In its letter to the Chief Election Commissioner of Election Commission of India (ECI) Nirvachan Sadan on Tuesday, UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh urged the Commission to consider notifying same election date for both the seats.
“…we find no justification to hold the elections on separate polling dates for the two constituencies,” he said in the letter.
He added, “We strongly urge your good office to kindly notify the same election date for both the above constituencies, so as to ensure free and fair poll which would augur well for the people of the state of Meghalaya and would leave no room for casting aspersions”.
The demand came a day after the ECI announced August 23 for holding the bye-election in South-Tura constituency in West Garo Hills District while declaration of result on August 27.
The seat fell vacant after NPP leader Agatha K Sangma resigned as member of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on July 2 to pave way for her brother who is the chief minister Conrad K Sangma to contest from the constituency.
Conrad, also MP of Tura, was sworned in as chief minister on March 6 and is required to be elected to the Assembly before September 6 to continue as the head of the state.
However, the ECI is yet to announce the election date for Ranikor, another constituency where former senior Congress leader Martin M Danggo had resigned as MLA on June 21, which was much earlier before South Tura seat fell vacant.
Stating that the party is aware that the date for the bye-elections is constitutionally time bound as per the term of expiry, Mawthoh said, “However, it is felt that since the two constituencies is in the state of Meghalaya, it would be advisable to hold the elections simultaneously, thereby leaving no chances for political influences and manipulation, holding in place the Commission’s advocacy of free and fair elections.”
“The announcement is surprising, considering the case of Ranikor Constituency, where the MLA had resigned much earlier on June 21 and till date, no announcement for the election was made. Whereas for South Tura Constituency, the MLA resigned at a later date on July 2 but notification for the election date has already been issued by the Election Commission,” he stated.
Further, the UDP general secretary said that as a matter of fact, the Ranikor Constituency deserves earlier election than South Tura Constituency since the people of Ranikor has been without an elected representative much earlier than South Tura.
Meanwhile, opposition Congress also said it would write to the Election Commission of India to consider holding simultaneous bye-elections to the two seats.
“We would write to the ECI to consider notifying the date for the Ranikor bye-election as well. We would like that the bye-elections to the two seats be held at the same time,” Congress spokesperson and Mawsynram MLA HM Shangpliang said here.
Stating that it was the Ranikor seat that became vacant first, he however said that the party was expecting that the Commission will hold the bye-elections for the two seats at the same time.
He informed that the party if it is possible will fax the letter to the ECI right away this evening.
Asked, Shangpliang said that the Congress is all geared up to contest from both the seats.
By Our Reporter
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