From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH: After days of dilly-dallying, the State Election Department has finally enrolled 39 local residents hailing from the villages under Block II of the Mawhati constituency on Tuesday. The 39 youths who have attained the legal age for voting will now be able to vote in the upcoming Assembly elections in the State.
Accompanied by the members of the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Raid Nongtung under the leadership of its chairman B Sohtun and Syiem of Raid Nongtung Paiem Kharshiing, the youths were jubilant after receiving their EPICs from the officials of the Election Department in Ri Bhoi district.
A delegation of the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Raid Nongtung along with leaders of the KSU North Khasi Hills District had earlier in the day met Deputy Commissioner Akash Deep Singh at his office to impress upon the need of enrolling the people living in Block II area.
Earlier in the month, the KSU, North Khasi Hills district, had served a seven-day deadline to the government to solve the enrolment issue. It may be mentioned that the residents of the villages under Block-II along the Meghalaya-Assam border were reportedly directed by the Assam authorities to use EPICs issued by Assam’s election department. Residents of Block II have of late alleged harassment by the officials forest and police departments. Hence, the move to enrol people from the area in the State’s electorate is a step towards halting the alleged unwarranted harassment of the State’s border populace.