SHILLONG: The None Of The Above (NOTA) option would be available to voters in Meghalaya while casting their votes in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled on April 9, but they would still be denied the benefit of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) which is a paper slip which comes out of the electronic voting machine (EVM) once a voter casts his vote, showing which symbol and candidate the vote has been cast for.
Addressing a press conference in Shillong following the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, State Chief Electoral Officer P. Naik said the Election Commission of India has decided to introduce VVPAT only in a few places.
Earlier, after the assembly polls held last year, many political parties in the State had expressed doubts on the reliability of EVMs without the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail.
The CEO announced that the Model Code of Conduct has come in to force with immediate effect in the State.
However, this would have no effect on the presentation of the Budget in the State Legislative Assembly which is scheduled to start on March 7.
Naik announced that after the announcement of the election dates, the State Election department has begun preparations for smooth conduct of the election in Meghalaya on April 9.
The date of issue of notification is March 15; the last date for filing of nomination is March 22 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 26, Naik announced. Counting of votes in the State will be held on May 16 along with the rest of the country.
Altogether 2562 polling stations would be set up for 15,53,028 voters in the State including 7,83,317 female voters and 7,69,711 male voters. There would be 138 polling stations in places bordering Assam and 90 polling stations bordering Bangladesh.
Naik also informed that the State Election department would require the services of 79 companies of Central paramilitary forces for peaceful conduct of election in Meghalaya. 25 companies of Central paramilitary forces have already been deployed across the State to bolster the State Police force.
The Union government would spend Rs.29 crore for the election in Meghalaya. The Election department would utilize 3300 EVMs for the elections to the two parliamentary constituencies of Shillong and Tura. The expenditure slab for each candidate has been fixed at Rs.70 lakh, an increase of Rs.30 lakh compared to the 2009 general election.
Naik also announced that the Election Department is all set to organize several programmes under the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation to urge voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers during the April 9 polls.
Meghalaya- Lok Sabha polls -fact file
Total voters (Shillong): 9,68,958 (Male: 4,73,888, female:4,95,070)
Total voters (Tura): 5,84,070 (Male: 2,95,833, female: 2,88,247)
Total voters: 15,53,028
Expenditure slab for candidate: Rs.70 lakh
Filing of nomination: From March 15
Last date for filing of nominations: March 22
Last date for withdrawal of candidature: March 26
Date of counting: May 16
Election expenditure: Rs.29 crore
No. of hyper sensitive polling stations: 356
No. of sensitive polling stations: 236
No. of polling stations bordering Assam: 138
No. of polling stations bordering Bangladesh: 74