AMPATI: The district of South West Garo Hills recorded 85 percent voter turnout during the Lok Sabha elections held on April 9, last, which is seen to be the highest in the whole of the State if one goes by district-wise polling percentage. Out of the total number of 73,513 registered voters in the three Assembly constituencies in the district, 62,764 exercised their right of franchise on the polling day.
The district also witnessed 10.9 percent increase in voter turnout from the last Parliamentary elections held in 2009, when district percentage stood at 74.1.
The Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Ram Singh has attributed the increase in percentage to greater awareness among the voters through unceasing efforts of the district administration in taking SVEEP campaign to the remotest polling stations and motivation of booth level officers (BLOs) to enroll new voters, besides holding several SVEEP programmes throughout the district.
It may also be mentioned that the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Ampati, R. Muthu had personally visited a number of remote villages, interacting with the villagers and urging them to come out in large numbers to vote during the elections.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened around the Strong Room in the Deputy Commissioner’s office complex, Ampati, in which the EVMs are being stored.
Besides the security personnel guarding the Strong Room round the clock, the District Administration has also made elaborate arrangement and 24×7 roster duty assigned to all the staff attached to DC’s office for maintaining strict vigil day in and day out.
Additional District Commissioners, P.K. Boro, Mary T. Sangma and A. C. Marak and Extra Assistant Commissioners, Winje R G. Momin, Dimse A. Sangma and Laben Ch. Marak are also taking their turns to stay up in the office during the night to ensure that the strong room is not left unmanned even for a second.
