SHILLONG: Meghalaya registered 77.66 per cent voter turnout, according to the data released by the Election Department at 9.30 pm on Tuesday.
After months of hectic campaigning by the parties and considerable political slugfest, Meghalaya finally voted on Tuesday to elect a new government.
Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said the turnout on Tuesday was 77.66 per cent and the Election Department expected it to rise further.
The CEO said the turnout would possibly be over 80 per cent as the Election Department was still awaiting reports from different parts of Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills, which have a marked trend of high voting.
The polling percentage in 2013 was 86.88.
According to the CEO, as per the available data, the district wise percentage is West Jaintia Hills (80), East Jaintia Hills (81), Ri Bhoi (71), East Khasi Hills (70), West Khasi Hills (71), South West Khasi Hills (71), North Garo Hills (80), East Garo Hills (75), West Garo Hills (81), South West Garo Hills (85) and South Garo Hills (81).
The percentage in civil sub divisions is Mairang (90), Sohra (80), Amlarem (75) and Dadenggre (75).
More than 22,000 civil employees in the state were deployed for the polls apart from an air ambulance for medical emergency.
Tuesday’s election had as many as 361 candidates in fray, including 80 Independents and 33 women. In all, there were 3,025 polling stations across the state.
According to Kharkongor, the scrutiny of the diaries of presiding officers would be taken up on Wednesday to check whether they match with electors in the presence of election observers and returning officers.
As many as 552 polling stations in the state had CCTV cameras. In all, 193 polling stations had webcasting and there were 20 general, 21 expenditure, 11 police and 350 micro observers.
Reacting to queries, Kharkongor replied voting was robust in villages while there seemed to be an apathy among urban voters in the state.
