By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Assam Government on Friday extended full cooperation to Meghalaya for conduct of free and fair polling in disputed areas along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
The assurance came during a joint meeting of government officials of the two neighbouring states here on Friday.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Chief Electoral Officer P Naik said, “Assam has assured ‘full cooperation’ for free and peaceful election in the State.”
Providing details of the meeting, Naik said both sides discussed issues relating to general maintenance of law and order in the border areas.
Naik informed that 138 polling stations are located within one-kilometer radius of the inter-state border, most of which have been classified as sensitive and hyper-sensitive polling stations.
Naik also informed that polling officers would have to reach certain polling stations through Assam, and the neighbouring government has assured all support to these officials.
“We also discussed on the requirement of transportation of troops for the election,” Naik said.
The meeting was attended by the chief electoral officers of both states, besides the principal secretaries of the respective state home departments and police officials.
Earlier, former Meghalaya DGP Kulbir Krishan and Chief Secretary WMS Pariat had met their respective counterparts in Dispur to discuss the need to ensure free and fair polls in the disputed border areas, following which Assam had declared ‘dry days’ for three consecutive days (February 21-23) in the bordering districts.
