Rural populace in Meghalaya vote for candidate: UNDP consultant

SHILLONG: A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) appointed consultant, Satyavani, visited Shillong on Friday to collect information on the best practice on election expenditure monitoring programme.
Interacting with media persons on Friday, Satyavani said people in the rural areas of Meghalaya tend to vote for their candidates and not for the party.
She even added that people in the rural areas are reluctant to vote in elections because of no or less development.
It may be mentioned that Satyavani is slated to tour eleven states of the country including Gujarat, Bihar, Punjab, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh and compile a report, which would be used as a capacity building material across the country and other countries who are members of the South Asian Association for regional Cooperation (SAARC).
On the matter of use of money, which has become an integral part of the election in any state, she stressed on the need to create an awareness among the people to not to lose their value and ethics.
She informed that she is currently working on various measures which have been implemented by the Election Commission of India in 2010 to check use of money power in elections and find out whether the steps adopted are bringing any changes in preventing the flow of money in elections campaigns.
During her course of visit, she met various officials from the State Election Department, including Chief Electoral Officer P Naik.