State’s voting peaceful, records 66 percent

SHILLONG, APR 9: Polling to the two Lok Sabha seats- Shillong and Tura- in Meghalaya passed off peacefully despite the 12-hour proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) bandh in Khasi and Jaintia hills and heightened militants activities in the five districts of Garo hills.

Defying the bandh in Khasi and Jaintia hills, voters’ turned up in different polling stations in the region to cast their votes with the overall voting recorded at 66 percent in the state that is likely to change once details from remote areas pour in to the state election department.

The Lok Sabha polls on Wednesday in Meghalaya for the two parliamentary seats are the second phase of the parliamentary elections in the country.

Sitting Shillong Lok Sabha Congress MP Vincent Pala is facing challenges from seven other candidates vying to defeat him, including United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate Paul Lyngdoh who is seen as Pala’s biggest threat.

In Garo hills as sitting NCP MP Agatha K Sangma decided not to seek reelection and instead make way for her father former Lok Sabha MP and National People’s Party (NPP) candidate Purno A Sangma to contest, the NPP supremo is locking horns with Congess nominee twenty-seven years old Daryl William Momin for the Tura Lok Sabha seat.

Till Wednesday evening the state election department said around 66 percent voters turnout been recorded but the percentage is likely to change once poll reports from far-flung areas of the state pours in.

Meghalaya chief electoral officer P Naik said that the final voters turnout will be clear only on Thursday morning. He however said that voting took place peacefully without any incident being reported till filing of this report.

Polling in all the 2562 polling booths across Meghalaya started from 7 am to 5 pm.

Naik told this website, “There is an increase by two per cent in the voters turn out compared to last 2009 Lok Sabha polls which recorded only 64 per cent.”

While Garo hills recorded 70 percent turnout, an increase by 3 percent from 64 per cent recorded in 2009 elections but for the  Shillong parliamentary seat the percentage of turnout stands at 62.

Naik also said that voters’ turnout was more in the urban areas compared to rural areas.

For the Shillong Lok Sabha seat beside Pala and Paul others who are in the fray are Independent PBM Basaiawmoit, BJP candidate Shibun Lyngdoh Aam Admi Party candidate A Kharshiing, Independent candidates Denis Siangshai, lone woman contender  Ivory Shylla and CPI candidate Richard Shabong- By Our Reporter .